[Preoperative examination findings in patients with a perforated appendix].

Symptoms and clinical findings recorded from 379 patients (6.7 per cent of all cases of appendectomy) with perforated appendicitis, between 1970 and 1984, were retrospectively evaluated. Children up to 14 years of age accounted for 32.8 per cent, adults for 37.8 per cent, and adults above 50 years of age accounted for 30.2 per cent of the above group. More than three typical appendicitis symptoms were recordable from only 30 per cent of all patients. Decompressive and jolting pain was the most common clinical symptom and was recorded from 66.6 per cent of the above 379 patients. 50 per cent of the patients did not exhibit leucocytosis, and normal body temperatures were measured from 21.1 per cent in spite of perforated appendicitis. The event of perforation occurred both six hours after onset of complaints as well as four days later. Obesity, enteritis, and cardiovascular diseases were the most common diseases established in concomitance with perforated appendicitis. 9 patients (2.3 per cent) died of the consequences of peritonitis or accompanying diseases. In patients with suspected appendicitis it is not justified to delay surgery even in the presence of serious associated disease.