Patient Safety in Delayed Diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis

Abstract

Introduction: Acute appendicitis is the major surgical abdominal disease in emergency departments and is also among the five leading causes of litigation against emergency physicians. Delayed diagnosis of appendicitis is more likely to occur in patients, who present atypically, and those lack a thorough physical examination, or those received intramuscular narcotic analgesia. The aim of this study was to study the effect of delay in diagnosis of acute appendicitis as regard postoperative findings, length of hospital stay and post-operative complications. Patients a thorough physical examination and early clinical review help to minimize the possibility of delayed diagnosis of appendicitis. Appendicitis with a delay in treatment usually leads to high perforation rates, and unfavorable outcome.