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Acute appendicitis in Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital Sagamu, a three year review


BA Ayoade
OA Olawoye
BA Salami
AAF Banjo

Abstract

Background: Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital is located in Sagamu, a suburban town with a population of 50,000 (1992 census). The hospital is a tertiary care facility in competition with a large number of private hospitals with different levels of competence.

Objective: The objective of the study is to review the outcome of the surgical management of acute appendicitis in our hospital.

Method: A retrospective study of subjects who had appendectomy for the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis between January 2002 and December 2004 was done.

Result: 113 subjects consisting of 52 females (46%), and 61 males (54%) were studied. The mean age was 24.1 years, 71 subjects (62.9%) were in the 10-30 years range. 57.5% of the subjects were students and 71 subjects (62.8) resided in urban area. All the subjects, had generalized in 23.9%). The mean duration of symptoms was 3.53days with standard deviation of 3.69days. Only 3 subjects presented on the day of onset of symptoms. Only 15 subjects (13.3%) had surgery on the day of admission. 69subjects (61.1%) had uncomplicated inflamed appendix at surgery and 2subjects (1.8%) had clinically normal appendix. The mean duration of hospital stay was 10.6days with standard deviation of 7.4. The commonest postoperative complication was pyrexia in 16 subjects (14.2%), followed by wound infection in 12 subjects (10.6%). One subject died (0.9%).

Conclusion: The outcome reflects the late presentation and delay in surgical treatment.

Keywords: acute appendicitis, late presentation, hospital delay, outcome

Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice Vol. 9(1) 2006: 52-64

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eISSN: 2229-7731
print ISSN: 1119-3077