[Wrong diagnoses of acute appendicitis in women]

In the years 1988 through 1992, 434 patients with acute appendicitis were operated at Third Department of Surgery, Medical Academy, in Kraków. The group included 201 females aged 14 to 90 years of life. In 159 women the diagnosis of acute appendicitis was confirmed, whereas 42 patients were subjected to surgical procedures due to other than appendicitis conditions located within the abdominal cavity. Surgeries prompted by symptoms suggesting appendicitis were most often performed in women with gynecological diseases. Only in several cases laparotomies were performed for other reasons. Wrong diagnoses were most often noted in women below 20 years of life and in the group between 40 and 60 years of life. The introduction of routine ultrasound examinations into the diagnostic management of acute peritonitis and diseases of the reproductive system might result in decrease of the number of diagnostic errors in acute appendicitis in women. An emergency procedure performed when the diagnosis is unclear is recommended rather than prolonged observation. The latter often results in delayed diagnosis of acute appendicitis when diffuse peritonitis develops.