Definition:Inflammation of vermiform appendix
What The Referring Physician Needs To Know- Perforation more likely in youngest children because of poor localization of pain
- Perforation can lead to generalized peritonitis
- Surgery is performed without imaging studies when diagnosis is clinically obvious
- Imaging studies very helpful in clinically equivocal cases
- Enlargement is single most important sign of inflamed appendix
- Unnecessary surgeries have declined to 5% in some centers due to use of CT and ultrasound imaging
- Alternative diagnoses: mesenteric adenitis, ovarian cyst, pyelonephritis, infectious or inflammatory colitis, omental infarction (Fig. 18), urinary system stones
