APPENDICITIS IN PREGNANCY

Course overview

ACUTE APPENDICITIS IS THE MOST COMMON NONOBSTETRIC SURGICAL DISEASE OF PREGNANCY. THE TYPICAL ANATOMIC AND PHYSIOLOGIC CHANGES OF PREGNANCY CAN MAKE THE DIAGNOSIS OF ACUTE APPENDICITIS CHALLENGING. IF THE DIAGNOSIS OF ACUTE APPENDICITIS IS NOT MADE IN A TIMELY FASHION, THE RISK TO THE GRAVIDA AND THE FETUS IS SIGNIFICANT AND INCLUDES SEPSIS, PRETERM LABOR RESULTING IN PRETERM BIRTH, AND FETAL LOSS. HOWEVER, A TIMELY APPENDECTOMY CAN REDUCE THESE RISKS AND IS GENERALLY VERY WELL-TOLERATED, REGARDLESS OF GESTATIONAL AGE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE INCIDENCE, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, EVALUATION, COMPLICATIONS, AND MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE APPENDICITIS IN PREGNANT PATIENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN DIAGNOSING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.