European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: Acute Appendicitis is the most common non obstetric surgical emergency during pregnancy that can occur throughout pregnancy but difficulty in diagnosis and delayed treatment can be associated with adverse maternal and pregnancy outcome.
Patients and Method: A prospective, observational study conducted in the Department of General Surgery at Baquba Teaching Hospital – Diyala – Iraq, from April 2016 to April 2020. Seventeen pregnant women, with acute appendicitis, were included.The patients' age ranged from 19 - 39 years with a mean age of 25 years. The patients' history, operative findings, postoperative outcome and histopathology results were recorded and analyzed.
Result: Four patients were in the first trimester, 8 patients were in the second trimester while 5 patients were in the third trimester. Abdominal pain was the main symptoms in all patients followed by poor appetite and nausea, while the main physical signs were tenderness and rebound tenderness in right lower quadrant of the abdomen. The appendix was grossly inflamed in 16 patients and was normal in one patient as proved by histopathology. During the follow up period, 3 patients had surgical site infection (SSI) and treated conservatively, 2 patients had preterm contractions and treated by tocolytic drugs, while fetal loss occurred in one patient.
Conclusion: Acute appendicitis is a common surgical emergency during pregnancy but high degree of suspicion and skills are required for early diagnosis with subsequent proper management to avoid possible complications both to the fetus and the mother