Historically, appendicitis in the elderly is associated with higher morbidity and mortality. This study included the clinical anlysis of 105 cases of appendectomy elderly patients over 60 years of age about its incidence, clinical symptoms,
signs,
laboratory findings, incision method, operative findings, associated disease and postoperative complications, which were treated at department of genearl surgery in Hanial Hospital during 4 years from January, 1989 to December, 1992. Whole
elderly
appendicitis patients were 105 consisting 7.1% of all appendicitis was 60 to 64 with 38.1%. According to symptom and sign analysis, the most common symptom was rebound tenderness on right lower quadrant pain(83.3%), and the most common sign was
rebound
tenderness on right lower quadrant(92.4%). According to postoperative pathologic analysis, the most common type was acute suppurative appendicitis(49.5%), and the next was acute perforative appendicitis(28.6%). In the perforative appendicitis,
the
most
common culture organism was Escherichia coli(63.3%). The most common associated diseases were cardiovascular diseases(28.6%). And respiratory diseases(19.0%). The most common postoperative complications were atelectasis and pneumonia(12.4%). The
mortality rate was zero. (Korean J Gastroenterol 1994 ; 26 : 95-101)
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