Aim: In this study, we aimed to examine to what extent total bilirubin (TB) measurements can help us in diagnosing perforated appendicitis.
Material and Methods: The TB levels of the patients for whom a surgery was planned with a preliminary diagnosis of appendicitis, were measured and then recorded. The patients with a TB level of 1.20 mg/dL and below were considered normal, and those with a TB value of 1.21 mg/dL and above were considered high. The appendectomy materials were divided into three groups, namely non-appendicitis, perforated appendicitis and non-perforated appendicitis, according to postoperative pathology report. The statistical correlation between the postoperative pathological findings of appendectomy materials and the groups formed according to TB results was analyzed.
Results: Of the patients included in our study, 80 (46%) were female and 96 (54%) were male. The average age was 27.48±12.08 years, and the median age was 25 years. As per the pathology report, 15 patients had no appendicitis (negative laparotomy), 2 (13%) of whom had a high TB level whereas 24 patients had perforated appendicitis, 8 (33%) of whom had a high TB level and 135 patients had non-perforated appendicitis, 28 (21%) of whom had a high TB level.
Conclusion: Our study found that the TB level in perforated appendicitis was 1.6 times higher than that in non-perforated appendicitis and 2.5 times higher than that in negative laparatomies. The bilirubin value differences between the groups were statistically significant (p< 0.05).
Key words: Acute Appendicitis; Perforation; Hyperbilirubinemia.
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