Abdominal gynaecological emergencies in the surgical unit

We have studied two types of emergency cases that occurred in the surgical unit who were found to have gynaecological aetiology: 1) patients with the so-called "morbus acutum dexter", i.e. appendicitis, or a gynaecological disease and 2) late complications in patients who had earlier benign gynaecological disease, usually such as tumour and surgery for it. The material with seven years follow-up consisted of 97 patients, who were treated during the periods 1959--60 and 1969--70. The relative numbers in both groups increased during the latter period. Of the patients in the reproductive age with suspected appendicitis, gynaecological diseases--mostly ovarian tumours with complications--constituted 7.6% of patients who had undergone appendicectomy in the surgical unit during the former period and 9.6% during the latter. The late complications consisted mainly of small bowel obstruction, resulting from adhesions caused by previous gynaecological surgery. The time interval between initial surgery and the obstruction was rather long, 3.5 years on the average. In the surgical unit the surgery was carried out in about two thirds of these patients. Our analysis demonstrates the necessity of recognizing cases with gynaecological aetiology as a significant factor in surgical practice; it has to be taken into consideration both in surgical and gynaecological education.