Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and paraclinical characteristics and results of treatment of acute appendicitis in elderly patients. Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 189 patients, including 42 of them over the age of 60, diagnosed with acute appendicitis or peritonitis due to appendicitis based on clinical and paraclinical symptoms and treated with laparoscopic surgery from April 2022 to June 2023 at the Department of Digestive Surgery, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital. Results: Elderly patients with acute appendicitis admitted to the hospital had an average age of 69.3 years. The time from symptom onset to hospital admission in elderly patients was 30.1 hours compared to 19.1 hours in the non-elderly group. The elderly group had a rate of peritonitis of 40.5% compared to 13.6% in the non-elderly group (p < 0.001). The mean time for passing initial gas in elderly patients was 18,1 hours compared to 13.3 hours in the non-elderly group (p = 0.004). Postoperative hospital stay in elderly patients was 4.7 days compared to 3.5 days in the non-elderly group (p < 0.001). Postoperative complications in the elderly patient group were 2.4% compared to 0% in the non-elderly group (p = 0.222). There were no complications during surgery or 30-day mortality. Conclusions: Elderly patients with acute appendicitis were hospitalized later, had a higher rate of peritonitis and had a longer postoperative hospital stay than non-elderly patients. Laparoscopic surgery to treat acute appendicitis in the elderly is a safe method