title: Appendicectomy at the University Hospital of the West Indies (1984-1988). A retrospective review.
abstract: The pathological records of appendicectomy specimens from patients with suspected acute appendicitis at the University Hospital of the West Indies during the 5-year period 1984-1988 were studied. The numbers of cases, their ages, sex and seasonal incidence were similar to those of other studies. The overall false positive diagnosis rate was 25% (16% in males, 38% in females). The main diagnostic difficulty was in young females in whom surgery for suspected appendicitis often proved unnecessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, U.W.I., Jamaica.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Royes
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: DuQuesnay
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Coard
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Fletcher
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001062:Appendectomy; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014900:West Indies / Q000453:epidemiology