Emergency appendectomies in patients over 80 years

Area of Science:

• Surgery
• Geriatric Medicine
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Appendicitis is a common surgical emergency.
• The incidence and outcomes of appendicitis in the elderly are less understood.
• Octogenarians represent a vulnerable population with potentially higher surgical risks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the outcomes of emergency appendectomies in octogenarians versus younger age groups.
• To assess the frequency of appendectomies in the elderly during the study period.
• To evaluate mortality and complication rates across different age demographics.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 100 consecutive emergency appendectomies.
• Comparison between octogenarians (over 80 years) and younger cohorts (under 59, 60-79 years).
• Data collected on negative explorations, mortality, complication rates, and appendiceal perforation.

Main Results:

• Appendectomy frequency in the elderly did not increase.
• Negative exploration rates ranged from 28%-33% across age groups.
• Mortality rates were 0% (under 59), 3% (60-79), and 7% (over 80).
• Complication rates were 10% (under 59), 23% (60-79), and 40% (over 80).
• Appendiceal perforation occurred in 49% of octogenarians, with a 21% associated mortality.

Conclusions:

• Emergency appendectomy in patients under 80 years has acceptable outcomes.
• Octogenarians undergoing emergency appendectomy face significantly higher risks of mortality and complications.
• Appendiceal perforation is a major risk factor for poor outcomes in elderly patients.