[Legal aspects of deadly acute appendicitis]

Appendicitis is diagnosed by synoptic evaluation of typical symptoms, laboratory tests and sonography. The only therapy is a prompt operation. The main reason for appendicitis mortality is the condition not detected or not detected in time. The case of a 50 year old male who died from a non-detected perityphlitic appendicitis with abscesses in the liver is presented. Only if appendicitis can be reliably ruled out an operation is not indicated. The not performed surgical intervention is often interpreted as a treatment error by the courts. In doubt, an operation should therefore be performed.