Healing Factors in Perforated and Unperforated Pediatric Appendectomies: A Descriptive Study

Objective: Appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in childhood and requires urgent intervention. The goal of this research was to identify the factors influencing healing in perforated and non-perforated appendectomy procedures.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive research involved 75 children who underwent appendectomy. Information was collected during the preoperative and postoperative stages using a data collection form and a pain assessment scale. Both parents and children hospi-talized with appendicitis contributed to this information.
Results: The primary complaints leading children to the hospital were nausea and vomiting, which started, on average, 2.7 days prior to admission. While 96% of the children underwent open surgery, 77.3% presented with non-perforated appendicitis. Feeding was ceased 9 hours pre-operation and recommenced in the 15th postoperative hour. A significant difference was noted between perforation status and discharge time. Factors influencing healing included the length of hospital stay, perforation status, preoperative information, time of postoperative oral feeding initiation, and intravenous fluid therapy.
Conclusion: The study suggests that early feeding, mobilization, and patient counseling can reduce pain and expedite recovery and discharge.