EFFECTIVENESS OF USE OF THE ALVARADO SCALE IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF ACUTE APPENDICITIS IN ELDERLY AND SENILE PERSONS

Abstract

Despite the use of modern instrumental research at the present time, the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in the elderly and senile is a difficult task, and for a surgeon, a thorough collection of complaints, anamnesis of the disease and identification of the main clinical signs are key elements in the diagnosis of the disease. Despite the large number of research scales and systems in emergency surgery, the Alvarado scale is one of the most widely used definitions observing the main signs of acute appendicitis. The Alvarado score was developed by Alfredo Alvarado in 1986 as a diagnostic tool for acute appendicitis. The evaluation was based on a retrospective study of 305 patients admitted to Nazareth Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, with abdominal pain consistent with acute appendicitis. This article describes the features of the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in the elderly and senile, as well as the use of the Alvarado scale. Due to its simplicity, the Alvarado scale is easy to use and improves the diagnosis of diseases, more accurately determines the indicators available for hospitalization, and also prevents “unnecessary” operations. Objective of the study: Validation of the Alvarado scale in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in elderly and senile individuals. Materials andmethods. The study included patients diagnosed with acute appendicitis over 60 years of age in the main group, as well as patients aged 18 to 60 years in the control group. Total number of patients 180. A retrospective study of the case histories of 180 patients who were diagnosed with acute appendicitis and who underwent surgical treatment was conducted. Results. When diagnosing acute appendicitis in elderly and senile individuals, if the Alvarado scale score is 8 points, this can be considered as an indication for surgery. Conclusion. According to the results of our study, the Alvarado scale is of great help in diagnosing acute appendicitis in elderly and senile individuals and determines the path of further treatment.