Content area
Full Text
Early acute appendicitis may be difficult to diagnose
The results of a CT scan changed the treatment plan for almost one-third of ED patients with suspected appendicitis, says a new study from the University of Washington Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. 1
Sometimes it is difficult to diagnose an early acute appendicitis because the initial lab work might be normal, says Esther Stoltzfus , RN, CEN, assistant nurse manager at Bixler Emergency Center in Tallahassee, FL. Depending on the anatomy of a patient, it also might be difficult to visualize the appendix, she says.
Researchers compared the treatment...