APPENDICITIS AMONG AFRICAN PATIENTS AT KING-EDWARD-VIII-HOSPITAL, DURBAN, SOUTH-AFRICA - A REVIEW

This retrospective study of 645 black patients, carried out over a fiv e year period, showed that appendicitis is twice as common in males as in females and that it occurs predominantly in young people (median a ge 20 years). The classical presentation of periumbilical pain (16%) w as outnumbered by right iliac fossa pain (36%) and non-specific pain ( 27%). The majority perforated (43%) and appendiceal inflammation was s econd commonest (37%), The negative appendicectomy rate was 8.8% and t here was a diagnostic error of 14%, Mortality was two per cent mainly from patients complicated by peritonitis. Hospital stay was 7 +/-7 day s, with the longest stay following peritonitis. A diagnosis of appendi citis should always be entertained in an African patient presenting wi th an acute abdomen and, where the diagnosis is in doubt, a laparotomy should be performed.