title: Laparoscopy in the prevention of unnecessary appendicectomies: a prospective study.
abstract: More than one-third of all appendicectomies are unnecessary. A study was directed towards reducing the misdiagnosis of appendicitis, thus preventing needless operations. Thirty-six women in the fertile age group and with a diagnosis of appendicitis were subjected to laparoscopy before surgery. All women had undergone a gynaecological examination to rule out disease of the female genitalia. As a result of the laparoscopy, surgery was cancelled in one-third of the cases, which were found to have acute gynaecological disease not requiring surgery.
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001062:Appendectomy; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies