Appendicitis with a palpable mass

Forty-two patients with abdominal masses caused by appendicitis underwent immediate surgery. A clear separation between a phlegmon and abscess could not be made before operation. In most patients, it was possible to perform an appendectomy and, thus, obviate the need for appendectomy at a subsequent admission. There were no deaths in this series of patients. The complication rate of 35.7% could have been reduced by leaving the skin wounds open.