title: Acute appendicitis during pregnancy.
abstract: Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency occurring during pregnancy. To determine possible methods for improving diagnostic and management accuracy, a retrospective review was conducted of 23 pregnant patients who underwent laparotomy with a preoperative diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Gestational stage at presentation included the first trimester in 2 patients, the second trimester in 6 patients and the third trimester in 15 patients. Eighteen patients (78.26%) had pathologically proven acute appendicitis. Perforation occurred in 2 patients. Postoperative fetal complications included one intrauterine death (4.3%) and three premature births. There was no maternal deaths and morbidity was limited to atelectasis and wound infection in 4 patients. Gestational physiologic changes make difficult the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Prompt surgical intervention prevent maternal complications and foetal loss.
authors.affiliation: Service de Chirurgie Générale et Digestive, CHU Farhat Hached Sousse, Tunisie.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sakhri
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Youssef
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ben Letaifa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sridi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Essaidi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khairi
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology*; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012421:Rupture