CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ACUTE APPENDICITIS AMONG PATIENTS ABOVE AGE OF THIRTY IN SULAIMANI EMERGENCY HOSPITAL

Background: The importance of the appendix surgically results from its liability to inflammation, which results in clinical condition known as acute appendicitis. Acute appendicitis is considered the most common abdominal emergency worldwide. Aim of the study: Assessment of different clinicopathological aspects of acute appendicitis in patients above age of thirty. Patients and Methods: This is an observational (prospective) study, which was conducted from June-October/2025. In Sulaimani Emergency Hospital. The study includes 70 patients with age above 30 years old. The patients are divided into 4 age groups: group 1 (30-39 years), group 2 (40-49 years), group 3 (50-59 years) and group 4 (patients older than 60 y & above). Data collections: patients characteristics, clinical presentations, Laboratory investigations (complete blood count, general urine examination), ultrasound findings, operative findings and histopathological examination. Follow up the patients done till discharge from the hospital. Results: The most common histopathological examination in the fourth decade (30 -39 year) was acute appendicitis (simple inflammation) with 48.7%, to be changed in the older patients (older than 60 years) to gangrenous appendicitis (complicated) with 62.5% due to delay in diagnosis, rate of negative appendectomy was only 1.42%. Conclusion: The incidence of acute appendicitis decreases with aging with increase the incidence of complicated appendicitis (gangrenous).