Appendicectomy at the University Hospital of the West Indies (1984-1988): A retrospective review

ABSTRACT

The pathological records of appendicectomy specimens from patients with suspected acute appendicitis at the University Hospital of the West Indies during the 5-year period 1984-1988 were studied. The numbers of cases, their ages, sex and seasonal incidence were similar to those of other studies. The over-all false positive diagnosis rate was 25 percent (16 percent in males, 38 percent in females). The main diagnostic difficulty was in young females in whom surgery for suspected appendicitis often proved unnecessary. (AU)