ACUTE APPENDICITIS - ANALYSIS OF INDICATION FOR OPERATION

We analyzed 276 patients operated on for acute appendicitis between Ja nuary 1995 and June 1997. In 26 patients intraoperative assessment rev ealed a pathological finding other than appendicitis. Fifty-nine patie nts (24 %) had a perforated appendix, 116 acute appendicitis verified by histological examination, 75 (30 %) chronic fibroplastic appendicit is or no signs of appendicitis. Patients with histologically acute inf lammation fulfilled more clinical criteria of appendicitis than those without (5.1 vs. 3.7). Negative histological findings were most common in younger females admitted on Mondays and Tuesdays, Clinical observa tion rather than immediate operation and laparoscopy rather than lapar otomy appear appropriate for the latter group and may lower the rate o f negative appendectomies.