[Appendicitis or non-specific pain in the right iliac fossa?]

Abstract

Nearly 300,000 appendectomies are performed yearly in France. The negative laparotomy rate for suspected acute appendicitis is about 20%. Appendiceal perforation increases the risk of postoperative complications and may lead to death. Differential diagnosis of right lower quadrant abdominal pain is a major public health problem. Reported means of increasing diagnostic accuracy have included in-hospital observation with clinical and biological structured data collection with or without computer-assisted diagnosis, ultrasonography, CT, and laparoscopy. The ideal diagnostic test is yet to be defined. However, structured clinical examination is the cornerstone of any management algorithm. "When in doubt, take it out" is no longer acceptable.