Appendicitis in Children: Symptoms and Signs, Laboratory and Histopathology Findings in 67 Patients

Abstract

Acute abdominal pain is a reason for hospital admission of about 20% of children. Typical clinical presentation of appendicitis may be significantly different in children. Diagnosis is based on the combination of symptoms, clinical signs, and results of laboratory and radiology examinations. The objective of the present study was to analyze symptoms, signs, laboratory and histopathology findings in children who underwent surgery for acute appendicitis. Sixty-seven patients (37 males and 30 females) with mean age of 9.77 years, operated on for clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis were enrolled in the study. Abdominal pain was present in all patients, followed by vomitus and fever. Laboratory markers of inflammation varied significantly with severity of inflammation, but were normal in chronic appendicitis. Clinical and histopathology assessments of inflammation were concordant in 22 – 43% depending of the degree of appendicitis. Perforation occurred in 26.86% and negative appendectomy rate was 6%.