Acute Appendicitis: From Pediatrics to Geriatrics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26332/a53dkg35Keywords:
appendicitis, diagnosis, child, pregnancy, agedAbstract
Acute appendicitis is one of the most frequent surgical emergencies. However, its clinical presentation can vary significantly across patient populations. This review summarizes the clinical presentation of acute appendicitis in children, adults, pregnant women, and older adults. While classic symptoms such as abdominal pain that migrates to the right lower quadrant, anorexia, nausea and vomiting are well recognised in the general adult population, they are often absent or altered in children, pregnant women and older adults. In children, symptoms may be nonspecific and and resemble a viral infection, and difficulties in describing pain often contribue to delayd diagnosis and increased risk of perforation. In pregnancy, anatomical displacement of abdominal organs reduce the accuracy of physical examination, complicating decision-making. Older adults commonly present with poorly defined abdominal discomfort, minimal tenderness and reduced inflammatory response due to comorbidities and age-related immune dysfunction, resulting in increased complications and mortality rates. Awareness of these population-specific differences and careful clinical evaluation are essential to prevent diagnostic delays and improve outcomes.
Keywords: appendicitis; diagnosis; child; pregnancy; aged
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