PERITONEAL ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY AS A DIAGNOSTIC-AID IN ACUTE APPENDICITIS

A total of 110 consecutive patients presenting to one surgical firm wi th suspected acute appendicitis underwent peritoneal aspiration cytolo gy. Aspiration was successful in 108 patients and 44 were positive. Pa tients with a positive result underwent emergency surgery; 42 had hist ologically proven acute appendicitis and two peritonitis of other caus es. Seven patients with a negative result underwent appendicectomy; fo ur had acute appendicitis and three a normal appendix. Peritoneal aspi ration cytology had a sensitivity for acute appendicitis of 91 per cen t and a specificity of 94 per cent. The positive predictive value of t he test was 95 per cent and the negative predictive value 94 per cent. The negative appendicectomy rate was 10 per cent overall and 11 per c ent in women of reproductive age. Peritoneal aspiration cytology is a useful diagnostic test in the management of patients with suspected ac ute appendicitis.