Vol. 8, Issue 1, Part C (2024)

Acute appendicitis is the most frequent surgical emergency. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic and the outcomes aspects of the management of acute appendicitis at the Ziguinchor Peace Hospital.

Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive, monocentric study conducted over a period of 2 years, based on the records of patients who underwent appendectomy for acute appendicitis in the general surgery department of the Ziguinchor Peace Hospital.

Results: A total of 103 patients underwent appendectomy for acute appendicitis. The mean age was 23.53 years, with a male predominance and a sex ratio (M/F) of 2.21. The average consultation time was 4.53 days, with extremes of 1 day and 22 days. Abdominal pain was present in all our patients, located in the right iliac fossa in 88.35%, with right iliac fossa tenderness in 78.64%. Fever was present in 25 patients (24.27%). All our patients' blood counts reported hyperleukocytosis in 53.31%. C-reactive protein was positive in 87 patients. Abdominal ultrasound was performed in 92 patients, with a sensitivity of 85.86%. The mean diameter of the appendix on ultrasound was 10.37 mm. Appendectomy by Mac Burney incision was performed in 58 cases (56.31%), and laparoscopy in 45 patients (43.69%). Surgical findings revealed simple acute appendicitis in 74 cases (71.84%). Post-operative management was favorable in 97.09% of cases.

Conclusion: Acute appendicitis is a very frequent surgical pathology in our context, which can be life-threatening due to its complications if not treated early.