ABSTRACT
Acute appendicitis (inflammation of the vermiform appendix) remains the most common intraabdominal surgical emergency requiring operative intervention. The lifetime risk of developing appendicitis is around 7–9%. Men are more likely to develop acute appendicitis than women (1.4:1), and men are more likely to have a perforated appendix than women. Appendicitis can occur at any age but is most frequently seen in patients in their second and fourth decade of life, with a mean age of 31.3 and a median age of 22 years. In this chapter, the authors try to answer a few common issues clinicians face when diagnosing and managing acute appendicitis. Important questions to consider in caring for a patient with appendicitis include how to make an accurate diagnosis, whether to treat the patient medically or surgically, and whether to proceed surgically with an open or laparoscopic approach. The answers to these questions are based on an evidence-based review of the literature.
