[Mortality in appendectomy. About an homogeneous series of 5 348 cases (author's transl)]

The authors have reviewed a series of 5 348 cases of appendectomy. They have registered 25 post-operative deaths, of which 22 were due to medical complications and 3 to surgical complications. Surgical complications, which involved a second operation in the early post-operative period, were noted in 31 patients. In over 50 p. cent of the cases, complications have been observed after appendectomies for common appendicitis. Most of the time, they were revealed by an occlusion, a peritoneal syndrome or a setting of intraperitoneal abscesses. In about 50 p. cent of the cases, the post-operative occlusion points to the presence of an abscess, a peritonitis or an hematoma. The most frequent and severe complications are caused by infection. In the present series, an overall mortality of appendectomy of 0.47 p. cent has been observed. In the patients who have to be reoperated, the overall mortality of 6.6 p. cent corresponds to a risk which is 15 times higher.