Apendicectomía en la embarazada: Experiencia en un hospital público chileno / Appendectomies for suspected acute appendicitis during pregnancy: Experience at a Chilean public hospital

Background: Acute appendicitis is the most common non obstetric surgical emergency during pregnancy. Aim: To asses our experience in the diagnosis and management of acute appendicitis occurring during pregnancy. Patients and methods: Data from all pregnant patients who were subjected to an appendectomy for a suspected acute appendicitis from January 1998 to December 2002, were retrospectively analyzed. All pathological, surgical, clinical records and the delivery outcome registry of each patient were reviewed. Results: Among 47,322 deliveries, 46 pregnant women aged 29±9 years and with a gestational age of 21±7 weeks, were operated because of a presumptive acute appendicitis. Forty (87%) had a histopathologically proven appendicitis; ten (25%) cases had a perforated appendix and 30 (75%) had a non-perforated appendicitis. Five (10.9%) patients had a negative laparotomy and one had a necrotic ovarian tumor. Patients with perforated and non perforated appendices had a similar lapse from the onset of symptoms to operation (69±45 and 50±34 hours respectively, NS) and a similar white cell count (15,667±3,707 and 13,006±5,206 cells/mm3, respectively, NS). Wound infection was the most common surgical complication in 15%. Seven (15%) patients had a premature delivery and there was one fetal death (2.2%). There were no pregnancy complications on negative appendectomy cases. Conclusions: Acute appendicitis continues to be a challenge in diagnosis and treatment during pregnancy. Maternal and fetal outcome was better than previously reported.

Curva de crecimiento intrauterino para prematuros entre 23 a 36 semanas de edad gestacional / Intrauterine growth curves for premature babies with a gestational age between 23 and 36 weeks

Objetivo: diseñar una curva de crecimiento intrauterino para prematuros nacidos entre las 23 y 36 semanas de edad gestacional en base a datos recopilados prospectivamente entre 1990-1998 en el Hospital Dr. Sótero del Río Santiago, Chile. Método: se incluyeron en este estudio 2.830 prematuros menores de 37 semanas con edad gestacional confiable, producto de embarazo único sin patología materna ni fetal. Se calculó peso promedio, desviación estándar, percentiles 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 90 y 95 para cada edad gestacional. Resultados: se presenta una curva suavizada de peso para cada edad gestacional y se compara con la actualmente en uso. Conclusión: considerando el gran número de niños en el estudio esta curva es una herramienta útil para evaluar el peso de nacimiento en niños prematuros especialmente en edades gestacionales menores