title: Acute appendicitis in preschool-age children.
abstract: During the last 11 years, 122 children aged less than 5 years underwent appendectomy with a preoperative diagnosis of acute appendicitis. At surgery, 29 children (24%) presented with acute suppurative appendicitis, 64 children (52%) perforated appendices and 26 children (21%) with appendiceal abscess. In three cases (2%) there was no acute intra-abdominal process. In this study the following data were analysed: age, gender, symptoms, duration of symptoms, whether seen by a physician prior to admission and surgery, physical findings, stage of the disease at operation, histology, postoperative complications and mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The accurate diagnosis in early childhood appendicitis is still a difficult matter. The responsibility of the paediatric surgeon is mainly the clinical examination with all his clinical skills and facilities and if serious doubt still exists, to proceed with a laparotomy in order to reach a definite diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece. gsakell@mycosmos.gr
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sakellaris
authors.forename: Stefanos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tilemis
authors.forename: Giorgos
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Charissis
mesh_terms: D018784:Abdominal Abscess / Q000209:etiology; D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000208:Acute Disease; D000855:Anorexia / Q000209:etiology; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001062:Appendectomy; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006615:Hip / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood; D008297:Male; D009325:Nausea / Q000209:etiology; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000209:etiology; D014555:Urination Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents