APPENDICECTOMY IN EXTREME AGES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN ELDERLY AND CHILDREN

Abstract

Objective: To conduct a comparative study on the diagnosis and complications of appendectomy surgery in children and the elderly. Method: This is an integrative literature review, conducted in the databases of the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) and National Library of Medicine (PUBMED), focusing on studies published between 2017 and 2023. Results: The detection of acute appendicitis in extremes of age is challenging. In infants, initial symptoms include unconsciousness, anorexia, irritability, vomiting, fever, and pain as the disease progresses. In contrast, older adults often have no classic symptoms and develop complications quickly. Appendicitis is most common in children and adolescents between 4 and 15 years of age, and is rare in the first 2 years of life due to anatomical variations of the appendix. In the elderly, the incidence increased due to longer life expectancy, with lower scores on the Alvarado Scale, requiring greater attention. Postoperative complications are more common in children, especially with delays in diagnosis and in the advanced stages of the disease. In the elderly, a common complication is death, especially between 70 and 79 years of age. Conclusion. These findings have significant relevance as they deepen the understanding of the relationship between age and appendicitis in the community, which can inform strategies to improve health promotion and disease prevention in different age groups, facilitating the planning and implementation of health promotion and disease prevention actions.