ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year : 2014  |  Volume : 7  |  Issue : 2  |  Page : 166-169

Intra-abdominal pressure: A simple, yet reliable indicator for the diagnosis and prognosis of appendicitis


Department of General Surgery, Padmashree Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pimpri, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Correspondence Address:
Gurjit Singh
Department of Surgery, Padmashree Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Sant Tukaram Nagar, Pimpri, Pune - 411 018, Maharashtra
India
Login to access the Email id

Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None


DOI: 10.4103/0975-2870.126328

Rights and Permissions

Introduction: Appendicitis is one of the more common surgical emergencies and it is one of the most common causes of an acute abdomen. Left untreated, appendicitis has the potential for severe complications. Despite initial optimism, it has become apparent that in most units the normal appendix rate remains 15-30%. In view of this scenario, this study was undertaken to assess the role of intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) in the diagnosis and prognosis of acute appendicitis. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 patients with initial diagnosis of appendicitis were evaluated. Patients were grouped according to the final diagnoses as appendicitis (acute and acute on chronic), perforated appendicitis and negative exploration for appendicitis. A simple fluid column manometry system through the Foley's catheter is used to measure the IAP. Results: Out of a total of 200 cases 104 were female and 96 were male in the age range of 7-74 years. A normal appendix was found in 18 patients and 124 patients had appendicitis. A total of 58 cases were of appendicular perforation. The mean pre-operative values of IAP for cases of normal appendix, appendicitis and appendicular perforation were 3 ± 0.4, 8.2 ± 0.4 and 9.6 ± 0.3 respectively (P < 0.001). Post-operative 1 st day and 2 nd day values of the IAP for appendicitis, perforated appendicitis and normal appendix groups were 3 ± 0.2 and 1.0 ± 0.1, 4.2 ± 0.1 and 1.5 ± 0.1, 0.8 ± 0.6 and 0.5 ± 0.6 cm H 2 O respectively. Conclusion: IAP increases among patients with appendicitis and a further increase is encountered among patients with perforated appendicitis. Therefore, addition of this parameter to support the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis and perforative appendicitis is advocated specially in a rural setting. However, randomized controlled trials are required to support our findings.


[FULL TEXT] [PDF]*
Print this article     Email this article
 Next article
 Previous article
 Table of Contents

 Similar in PUBMED
   Search Pubmed for
   Search in Google Scholar for
 Related articles
 Citation Manager
 Access Statistics
 Reader Comments
 Email Alert *
 Add to My List *
 * Requires registration (Free)
 

 Article Access Statistics
    Viewed3654    
    Printed202    
    Emailed0    
    PDF Downloaded305    
    Comments [Add]    
    Cited by others 1    

Recommend this journal