Readmissions to Hospital After Appendicectomy for Non-specific Abdominal Pain

Follow up of 54 patients having a normal appendix removed revealed that in only two cases was a physical diagnosis missed & yet these patients were more likely to be readmitted with suicidal behaviour or further unexplained pain than patients who had an inflamed appendix removed. The authors suggest that psychological factors may be of aetiological importance in patients having a normal appendix removed, & although none of these patients had multiple admissions or further abdominal surgery it is suggested that patients be told that their appendix was normal. (11 refs)