Does Loss of Appetite in Acute Appendicitis Indicate an Empty Stomach?

İbrahim Feyyaz Naldemir; Mehmet Ali Özel; Sinem Kantarcıoğlu Coşkun; Kudret Selki; Mustafa Boğan

Article Details

Does Loss of Appetite in Acute Appendicitis Indicate an Empty Stomach?

Authors:

İbrahim Feyyaz Naldemir | Mehmet Ali Özel | Sinem Kantarcıoğlu Coşkun | Kudret Selki | Mustafa Boğan

Publisher:

Duzce University

Main Topics:

Klinik Tıp Bilimleri (Diğer)

Journal:

Sağlık Bilimlerinde Değer Vol.15 Issue 2, pp.300-304

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

5/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001348659

pISSN:

2792-0542

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Aim: Loss of appetite anorexia is a prevalent symptom in patients with acute appendicitis. In these cases, it can be hypothesized that the stomach is empty, and the gallbladder is contracted due to loss of appetite. In this study, we aimed to investigate gastric fullness and gallbladder status in patients with acute appendicitis. We investigated whether these parameters can be indirectly supported by imaging findings of anorexia and to what extent they are significant in terms of aspiration risk in emergency surgery planning. Material and Methods: CT images of patients with acute appendicitis and the control group were evaluated for gastric fullness and gallbladder appearance. Results: A total of 266 patients were included in the study. A hundred and thirty-nine patients 52.3 were diagnosed with acute appendicitis, while 127 patients 47.7 were classified as the control group. The proportion of patients with an empty stomach was statistically significantly higher in patients with acute appendicitis compared to the control group p0.001. Gastric filling grade 3 high-risk solid gastric content for aspiration was in 23 n32 of the cases with acute appendicitis. Conclusion: Gastric fullness and gallbladder contraction are straightforward findings on CT that can provide indirect evidence in suspected acute appendicitis cases. Although anorexia is a key symptom, over half of patients continue oral intake irregularly, leaving up to one-fifth at high risk for aspiration during emergency surgery. Therefore, preoperative starvation protocols should not rely solely on the presence of anorexia.

 Aim: Loss of appetite anorexia is a prevalent symptom in patients with acute appendicitis. In these cases, it can be hypothesized that the stomach is empty, and the gallbladder is contracted due to loss of appetite. In this study, we aimed to investigate gastric fullness and gallbladder status in patients with acute appendicitis. We investigated whether these parameters can be indirectly supported by imaging findings of anorexia and to what extent they are significant in terms of aspiration risk in emergency surgery planning. Material and Methods: CT images of patients with acute appendicitis and the control group were evaluated for gastric fullness and gallbladder appearance. Results: A total of 266 patients were included in the study. A hundred and thirty-nine patients 52.3 were diagnosed with acute appendicitis, while 127 patients 47.7 were classified as the control group. The proportion of patients with an empty stomach was statistically significantly higher in patients with acute appendicitis compared to the control group p0.001. Gastric filling grade 3 high-risk solid gastric content for aspiration was in 23 n32 of the cases with acute appendicitis. Conclusion: Gastric fullness and gallbladder contraction are straightforward findings on CT that can provide indirect evidence in suspected acute appendicitis cases. Although anorexia is a key symptom, over half of patients continue oral intake irregularly, leaving up to one-fifth at high risk for aspiration during emergency surgery. Therefore, preoperative starvation protocols should not rely solely on the presence of anorexia.

 Aim: Loss of appetite anorexia is a prevalent symptom in patients with acute appendicitis. In these cases, it can be hypothesized that the stomach is empty, and the gallbladder is contracted due to loss of appetite. In this study, we aimed to investigate gastric fullness and gallbladder status in patients with acute appendicitis. We investigated whether these parameters can be indirectly supported by imaging findings of anorexia and to what extent they are significant in terms of aspiration risk in emergency surgery planning. Material and Methods: CT images of patients with acute appendicitis and the control group were evaluated for gastric fullness and gallbladder appearance. Results: A total of 266 patients were included in the study. A hundred and thirty-nine patients 52.3 were diagnosed with acute appendicitis, while 127 patients 47.7 were classified as the control group. The proportion of patients with an empty stomach was statistically significantly higher in patients with acute appendicitis compared to the control group p0.001. Gastric filling grade 3 high-risk solid gastric content for aspiration was in 23 n32 of the cases with acute appendicitis. Conclusion: Gastric fullness and gallbladder contraction are straightforward findings on CT that can provide indirect evidence in suspected acute appendicitis cases. Although anorexia is a key symptom, over half of patients continue oral intake irregularly, leaving up to one-fifth at high risk for aspiration during emergency surgery. Therefore, preoperative starvation protocols should not rely solely on the presence of anorexia.

 Amaç: İştahsızlık anoreksi, akut apandisitli hastalarda yaygın görülen bir semptomdur. Bu hastalarda iştahsızlık nedeniyle mide içeriğinin boş, safra kesesinin ise kontrakte olduğu öne sürülebilir. Bu çalışmada akut apandisitli hastalarda mide doluluğu ve safra kesesi durumu incelenmiştir. Bu parametrelerin, anoreksinin görüntüleme bulgularıyla dolaylı olarak desteklenip desteklenemeyeceği ve acil cerrahi planlamasında aspirasyon riski açısından ne derece anlamlı olduğu araştırılmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Akut apandisit tanısı alan hastalar ile kontrol grubuna ait BT görüntüleri, mide doluluğu ve safra kesesi görünümü açısından değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular: Toplamda 266 hasta çalışmaya dahil edilmiştir. Hastaların 139u 52,3 akut apandisit tanısı almışken, 127si 47,7 kontrol grubu olarak sınıflandırılmıştır. Mide içeriği boş olan hastaların oranı, akut apandisitli hastalarda kontrol grubuna kıyasla istatistiksel olarak anlamlı derecede daha yüksekti p0,001. Akut apandisit vakalarının 23ünde n32 mide doluluk derecesi 3 aspirasyon için yüksek risk taşıyan katı mide içeriği olarak değerlendirilmiştir. Sonuç: Mide doluluğu ve safra kesesi kontraksiyonu, akut apandisitten şüphelenilen vakalarda dolaylı kanıt sağlayabilecek, BT ile kolaylıkla değerlendirilebilen bulgulardır. Anoreksi, akut apandisitin önemli bir semptomu olmasına rağmen, hastaların yarısından fazlası düzensiz de olsa oral alıma devam etmekte ve bu durum olası bir acil operasyonda hastaların beşte birini aspirasyon riski altında bırakmaktadır. Bu nedenle, preoperatif açlık protokollerinde yalnızca anoreksinin varlığına güvenmek uygun değildir.

Article Details

Does Loss of Appetite in Acute Appendicitis Indicate an Empty Stomach?

Authors:

İbrahim Feyyaz Naldemir | Mehmet Ali Özel | Sinem Kantarcıoğlu Coşkun | Kudret Selki | Mustafa Boğan

Publisher:

Duzce University

Main Topics:

Klinik Tıp Bilimleri (Diğer)

Journal:

Sağlık Bilimlerinde Değer Vol.15 Issue 2, pp.300-304

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

5/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001348659

pISSN:

2792-0542

Acute Appendicitis

anorexia

gastric fullnes

risk of aspirationakut apandisit

anoreksi

mide doluluğu

aspirasyon riski

Issues

Article Details

Authors: İbrahim Feyyaz Naldemir | Mehmet Ali Özel | Sinem Kantarcıoğlu Coşkun | Kudret Selki | Mustafa Boğan

Publisher: Duzce University

Main Topics: Klinik Tıp Bilimleri (Diğer)

Journal: Sağlık Bilimlerinde Değer Vol.15 Issue 2, pp.300-304

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 5/2025

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001348659

pISSN: 2792-0542

Issues

Authors:

İbrahim Feyyaz Naldemir | Mehmet Ali Özel | Sinem Kantarcıoğlu Coşkun | Kudret Selki | Mustafa Boğan

Publisher:

Duzce University

Main Topics:

Klinik Tıp Bilimleri (Diğer)

Journal:

Sağlık Bilimlerinde Değer Vol.15 Issue 2, pp.300-304

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

5/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001348659

pISSN:

2792-0542