Acute appendicitis

Appendicitis is the inflammation of the vermiform appendix and is the commonest clinical differential diagnosis made in young adults presenting with acute abdominal and right iliac fossa pain. The diagnosis is largely clinical but ultrasound or CT may be helpful in some cases. Antibiotic treatment is used for uncomplicated appendicitis in some centres based on the principle that other intra-abdominal infections, such as diverticulitis are appropriately managed with antibiotics. The gold standard of treatment, however, is still appendicectomy with the more frequent use of laparoscopic appendicectomy, particularly in the female patient. The most common complication is that of wound infection.