Appendicular peritonitis: Severe complication of acute appendicitis

28/04/2020 09:21

Appendicular peritonitis is a severe, life-threatening and common complication of acute appendicitis. The main reason is late diagnosis and treatment leading to the rupture of pus into the peritoneal cavity, resulting general intra-abdominal infection, septic shock with complex, costly treatment and eventually death. It could be treated by laparoscopic surgery if is  diagnosed and operated in first 24 hours, however in case of late diagnosis with peritonitis it’s not able to be treated laparoscopically. Open surgery and treatment should be more complicated.

 

 Annually, Viet Duc University Hospital (VDUH) receives and treats many patients with appendicular peritonitis. While the COVID-19 pandemic has been becoming complex, the patients hesitate to be examined at the hospital might lead to dangerous complications. According to a statistic of VDUH, in March 2020, there were up to 45% peritonitis among total appendicitis cases treated in hospital,.

 

VDUH recommends that some emergency diseases might become life-threatening if being late diagnosed such as: acute appendicitis, cholecystitis, gastro-duodenal ulcer perforation, acute pancreatitis… Patients with symptoms such as abdominal pain at the right iliac fossa that might spread to hypogastric or right hypochondriac region, nausea, vomiting, digestive disorders… need to go to an authorized medical facility for timely diagnosis and treatment in order to avoid any unfortunate consequence.

Currently, COVID-19 has been becoming complex in the whole country. To ensure the safe prevention against COVID-19 pandemic as the direction of the Ministry of Health and the Government, VDUH has well organized and screened patients and their family members in different ways.

VDUH performed body temperature measurement and medical declaration for patients and family members as well as medical staff at all entrances

VDUH performed body temperature measurement and medical declaration for patients and family members as well as medical staff on arrival at all entrances

 

VDUH has conducted body temperature measurement and medical declaration for patients and their family members and medical staff on arrival at  all entrances of the hospital; requested patients’ family members to wear “barcode” for identification just only one person allowed to stay and join in patients’ care; disinfected regularly in many places inside the hospital. Additionally VDUH has equipped modern facilities such as negative pressure operating room, 256-slide CT Scanner, advanced laparoscopic equipment… for the best care of patients.

Disinfecting and cleaning the surrounding environment in order to bring the good feeling for patients to go to hospital for medical check and treatment as well as to protect the public health.