Acute Appendicitis In Older Adults

Abstract

Introduction: appendicitis is an acute inflammation of the appendix. It is common in young patients, but it can also affect older adults. Its diagnosis is a challenge due to the variability in clinical presentation and possible complications associated with age and health. general. Objective: to describe the Clinical characteristics of Acute Appendicitis in the elderly. Methods: a bibliographic review on acute appendicitis in older adults was carried out, obtaining information from databases: SciELO, Dialnet, Google Scholar and PubMed. The results and conclusions presented are the result of an exhaustive and critical analysis of the reviewed studies. Development: the diagnosis of appendicitis in older adults can be challenging due to the diversity of clinical presentations, they may have a lower ability to communicate their symptoms, or experience changes in the presentation of the disease. Clinical diagnosis is crucial to avoid serious complications such as appendix perforation, peritonitis, intra-abdominal abscesses.  The thorough physical examination will allow the diagnosis of the disease, its clinical management, as well as decision-making regarding additional diagnostic tests or therapeutic interventions. Conclusions: the clinical presentation may be atypical. Abdominal pain may be less intense and not necessarily located on the right side, which makes early diagnosis difficult and can lead to ambiguity in the interpretation of symptoms. They may experience changes in mental status, such as confusion or alterations in behavior.