title: Outcomes of the patients diagnosed incidentally appendicitis during cesarean section.
abstract: Appendicitis is the most common condition leading to an intraabdominal operation for a non obstetric problem in pregnancy and diagnosis of appendicitis is complicated by the physiologic and anatomic changes that occur during pregnancy. Although a surgical procedure carries the risk of fetal loss or preterm delivery, delay in diagnosis also increases the risk of complications in both mother and fetus. In this report we present our experience and analyze clinical characteristic and the pregnancy outcomes of appendicitis diagnosed incidentally during cesarean in the third trimester.
  
  
  
  The study population consisted of 23 pregnant women who were diagnosed incidentally with appendicitis during cesarean at Erzincan University Hospital between 2015 and 2016.
  
  
  
  Appendectomy was performed on 23 patients during a caesarean section performed for any reason. The mean dia-meter of appendix was 7.82 ± 1.85 mm. The mean operation time was 67.39 ± 18.94 SD and antibiotic therapy was given to all patients. Postoperative complications were noted in 4 (17.4%) patients. Wound infection was seen in 4 (17.4%) patients, the other 19 patients revealed no postoperative complications. The mean of APGAR score of newborns in the postoperative period was 8.26 ± 0.86 SD and no complications were observed in both mothers and newborns. Histopathology of the specimen confirmed acute appendicitis in 23 (100%) cases.
  
  
  
  Acute appendicitis is a challenging diagnosis in the pregnant patient; however, early surgical intervention should be performed with any suspicion. The type of surgery depends on the surgeon's preference and experience.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Erzincan University, Turkey. mehmet_kulhan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kulhan
authors.forename: Nur Gozde
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Kulhan
authors.forename: Umit
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Nayki
authors.forename: Cenk
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nayki
authors.forename: Pasa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ulug
authors.forename: Nahit
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ata
authors.forename: Hulya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Toklucu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000379:methods*; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033162:Incidental Findings; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: appendicitis; postoperative complications; pregnancy; premature birth