Acute appendicitis in children

Abstract

Objective: Characterize the epidemiology, etiology, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and possible complications of acute appendicitis in children. Methods: A descriptive bibliographical research was carried out, carried out from 2004 to 2024, in Portuguese and English, in the Google Scholar search engine, and in the scientific databases of SciELO and Acervo+ Index Base. Results: 20 studies were referenced, in which they demonstrated the issue involving appendicitis, which is an acute inflammation of the appendix, which can be caused by an obstruction of the organ, either by inflammation of the wall or by a fecalith or an appendicolith. Appendectomy in children is the most common form of treatment, which can be performed by laparoscopy or open. It also demonstrated the main signs and symptoms that children present, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis. Final considerations: Acute appendicitis in children is a common and potentially serious condition that requires rapid and accurate clinical assessment and adequate and timely treatment. It can be caused by several factors that lead to obstruction of the appendix lumen, resulting in inflammation, ischemia, necrosis and organ perforation.