Postoperative appendicitis.
Appendicitis developed in three patients during the postoperative period. At reoperation, perforation of the appendix occurred in all three instances and abscess was present in two. The postoperative status caused confusion in the diagnosis and led to inappropriate delay in operation. Failure to recognize appendicitis in the postoperative period suggests that a higher than normal incidence of rupture can be expected in this patient group.
D000005:Abdomen; D000368:Aged; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous