title: Acute appendicitis in pregnancy: Case series and review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Acute appendicitis is one of the most common acute surgical pathology we encountered. In this study we investigated our pregnant cases of appendicitis, and reviewed literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 21 pregnant women who underwent appendectomy with the initial diagnosis of acute appendicitis in Istanbul Medeniyet University Clinics of General Surgery between January 2012, and December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients's ages, trimesters, complaints, abdominal examination, laboratory, and ultrasonographic findings, surgical techniques, complications and hospital stay were noted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients were in their first (n=12; 57.1%), second (n=5; 23.8%), and third trimesters (n=4; 19.0%) of their pregnancies Median age was 23.9 years. All of the patients had abdominal pain. Median value of WBC count was 13.297/mm³. Ultrasound was positive in 12 patients (57.1%). In 14 (66.6%) patients McBurney incision, and in 6 (28.6%) cases right paramedian incision were used. One patient (4.8%) underwent laparoscopic appendectomy. Nineteen cases were acute appendicitis (90.5%), and two cases were perforated appendicitis (9.5%). Average hospital stay was 3.8 days. Two cases with perforated acute appendicitis developed wound infection and treated conservatively. There were no fetomaternal mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physiologically anatomic and biochemical changes occurring during pregnancy can delay the diagnosis of acute appendicitis threaten the lives of both the mother and the fetus Therefore, rapid diagnosis and appropriate treatment convey importance.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Busra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Burcu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozgur
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ekinci
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Bursa Cekirge State Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tuba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Atak
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kivilcim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Orhun
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Turgut Tunc
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Eren
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Istanbul Medeniyet University, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Alimoglu
keywords: Acute appendicitis; appendectomy; fetus; laparoscopic appendectomy; pregnancy