[Acute appendicitis in children with atypical location of the vermiform process]

The analysis of case records of 19,966 children operated on for acute appendicitis at the Belorussian centre of pediatric surgery for 15 years (from 1970 till 1984) is presented. In 2796 (14%) children, the atypical location of the vermiform process was diagnosed at operation. In atypical location of the vermiform process, the clinical manifestations of acute appendicitis differ from those in its common location: abdominal pain is most frequently (47.8% of cases) localized outside the inguinal region, less often, tensity of the anterior abdominal wall muscles, symptoms of peritoneal irritation are noted. Children with acute appendicitis in atypical location of the vermiform process twice later (when compared with patients with its typical location) are admitted to the hospital, and as well twice longer are observed before the operation. The incidence of complications after the operation is more than two-fold greater.