Chaitra S1
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although appendicectomy is the most commonly done emergency surgery still its diagnosis remains an enigmatic challenge, with persisting high rate of negative explorations. The objective of the study was to evaluate the role of accuracy of WBC measurement in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis and to reduce the morbidity by avoiding negative explorations. METHODS: The present study was conducted in 50 patients at the hospital have been clinically diagnosed by surgeons as having acute appendicitis and posted for emergency appendicectomy. Preoperatively blood was sent for WBC estimation, (more than 10,000 per mmg) after operation all specimens were sent for HPE examination; results of WBC were correlated with HPE reports to evaluate their role in diagnosis of acute appendicitis. RESULTS: In present study, WBC has highest sensitivity and specificity of 97.7% and 85.7% with positive predictive value of 97.7%. Hence it was proved that WBC level can be used to rule out negative appendicitis, so that surgery can be deferred in them and to reduce rate of negative appendicectomies. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION: We continue to stress that history and clinical examination by a skilled surgeon still remain indispersible in diagnosis of acute appendicitis, and its importance cannot be undermined. But WBC helps to reduce negative appendicectomy rate drastically and hence should always be included in diagnostic work up of acute appendicitis.
INTRODUCTION: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common cause
