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Suspected Appendicitis – Emergency Department – Probability of Appendicitis

Suspected Appendicitis Clinical Pathway – Emergency Department

Probability of Appendicitis

High-Probability Equivocal Low-Probability
  • Symptoms < 48 hrs
  • Migration of pain from periumbilical to RLQ
  • Progressive symptoms
    • Anorexia, nausea, vomiting
  • Pain preceding vomiting
  • Pain with movement
    • Cough, car ride, jumping on right foot
  • RLQ tenderness with or without rebound
  • Focal abdominal tenderness, usually right-sided
  • Some of the features of high-probability acute appendicitis present
  • Few signs of appendicitis
  • Reassess for alternative diagnosis
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