Acute appendicitis in patients over sixty.

In an investigation of 68 consecutive patients over the 60 operated on for acute appendicitis in 1969--1972 the symptoms and signs did not differ notably from those in younger patients. However, the disease was more advanced in the elderly patients with perforation of the appendix in 49%. Postoperative complications occurred in about one third of the series, but were never fatal. Use of broad-spectrum antibiotics (ampicillin) is recommended. The investigation showed that it is possible to reduce the mortality from acute appendicitis in elderly patients to a level comparable to that in younger ones.