ABSTRACT
To determine frequency of perforated appendicitis in patients presenting with acute appendicitis and association of perforation with the duration of symptoms in acute appendicitis. Observational study. The study was conducted in surgical unit I at Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi. One hundred and fifty patients diagnosed as the cases of acute appendicitis were included in the study by a non probability convenience sampling technique. Later on, patients with no signs of inflammation of appendix on operation or histopathological report were excluded from the study. In these patients frequency of perforated appendix, duration of symptoms in patients with perforated appendix and association of perforation with duration of symptoms in acute appendicitis was determined. Among 150 cases, 47 patients [31.3%] had perforated appendicitis while 103 patients [69.7%] had simple acute appendicitis. 90 patients were male while 60 patients were female. 40 patients [85.1%] of perforated appendicitis had symptoms for more than 24 hours while 7 patients [14.9%] of perforated appendicitis had symptoms for less than 24 hours. Complications were high in the perforated appendicitis as compared to non perforated appendicitis. Average stay of the patients with perforated appendicitis was 3.33 days while with non perforated appendicitis was 1.75 days. No mortality was occurred in this study. Timely diagnosis of acute appendicitis and prompt surgical intervention can decrease the frequency and high morbidity due to perforated appendicitis