APPENDICITIS IN UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT TEACHING HOSPITAL, NIGERIA.

UNLABELLED Background: Acute appendicitisis themost common cause of acute abdomen worldwide with increasing incidence in developing countries. The diagnosis is mainly clinical and wound infection remains the most common post-operative complication. OBJECTIVE To determine the pattern of presentation of acute appendicitis. DESIGN Hospital based retrospective study. SETTING Department of Surgery, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. SUBJECTS Patients with histologically confirmed acute appendicitis. RESULTS A total of 130 patients who had appendicectomy for acute appendicitis were included in the study. There were 62 males and 68 females (M:F1:1.1). Their ages ranged from 14 to 67 years with a peak age incidence of 21-30 years. The highest incidence was in the month of July while the lowest was in February. All the patients presented with right iliac fossa pain and tenderness. Post-operative complication rate was 10% and wound infection was the most common (7.7%). CONCLUSION The presentation of acute appendicitis in UPTH is similar to that in other parts of the West African sub-region but with a slight female preponderance in our centre. Early diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention is the key to successful management.