Mechanical small-bowel obstruction after conventional appendectomy in children.

During the period May 1988 to August 1990, 871 children aged between 0 and 15 years were appendectomized by laparotomy because of suspected appendicitis at the department of pediatric surgery, St. Göran's Children's Hospital. The children were followed 4-6 years after appendectomy. 1.3 % (10/791) developed clinical symptoms consistent with mechanical small bowel obstruction (SBO) resulting in relaparotomy and confirmation of the diagnosis. The patients were divided into subgroups according to the degree of appendicitis. In the group with normal appendix 1.8% (3/170) developed mechanical SBO, simple appendicitis 0% (0/209), gangrenous appendicitis 0.4 % (1/236) and perforated appendicitis 3.4% (6/176). There was no mortality due to postoperative complications. Two patients died due to unrelated causes during the follow-up period.