title: Immediate appendectomy for appendiceal mass.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of immediate appendectomy in patients presenting with appendicular mass.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven patients with appendicular mass were operated within 24 hours after admission to Vakif Gureba Training and Research Hospital, General Surgery Department, from January 2004 to April 2010. The appendiceal mass was diagnosed with physical examination, abdominal ultrasonography, and computed tomography, or during surgical exploration. Age and sex, duration of symptoms, physical examination findings at admission, operation details, intraoperative and postoperative complications, and length of hospital stay were analyzed for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 25 males (53.2%) and 22 females (46.8%), with a mean age of 37.23±15.60 (range: 14-75) years. The mean time from the onset of the symptoms to operation was 4.06±2.50 (range: 1-15) days. A simple appendectomy was performed in 38 (80.9%) patients. Twenty-nine (61.8%) patients were discharged and followed up without any complication after surgery. Wound infection was detected in 13 (27.7%) patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Immediate appendectomy in appendicular mass is a safe and effective alternative to conservative management.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey. drbkaya@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Bülent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Barış
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sana
authors.forename: Cengiz
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eriş
authors.forename: Rıza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kutaniş
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult