Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27535664›Full record

ArticleWorld journal of surgery2017

Mortality Related to Appendectomy; a Population Based Analysis over Two Decades in Finland.

Sannamari Kotaluoto, Mika Ukkonen, Satu-Liisa Pauniaho, Mika Helminen, Juhani Sand, Tuomo Rantanen

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in World journal of surgery, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

31 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Guideline
  2. Pooled it
  3. Guideline
  4. Pooled it
  5. Laparoscopic versus open surgery for suspected appendicitis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018
    Pooled it
  6. Saline solution vs. stabilized isotonic sodium hypochlorite lavage in complicated appendicitis: a comparative study.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2026
    Article
  7. A hybrid machine learning approach to improve the diagnostic accuracy of acute appendicitis.Ulusal travma ve acil cerrahi dergisi = Turkish journal of trauma & emergency surgery : TJTES · 2026
    Article
  8. Review
  9. Appendicitis.Nature reviews. Disease primers · 2025
    Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Observational
  18. Risk factors for postoperative morbidity, prolonged length of stay and hospital readmission after appendectomy for acute appendicitis.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2023
    Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Sannamari KotaluotoDepartment of Gastroenterology and Alimentary Tract Surgery, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
Mika UkkonenDepartment of Gastroenterology and Alimentary Tract Surgery, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
Satu-Liisa PauniahoEmergency Division of Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere University Hospital and University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
Mika HelminenScience Center, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere and School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
Juhani SandDepartment of Gastroenterology and Alimentary Tract Surgery, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
Tuomo RantanenDepartment of Surgery, Kuopio University Hospital, Box 100, 70029 KYS, Kuopio, Finland. tuomora@gmail.com.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectTo define the mortality rate of appendectomy patients and appendectomy-related risk factors.

backgroundAppendectomy has been considered as a safe operation and negative appendectomies acceptable in order to avoid perforations. There are few publications on appendectomy-related mortality. Removal of a normal appendix has been suggested to be related to a higher mortality rate versus removal of an inflamed appendix.

methodsData on all appendectomy patients between 1990 and 2010 in Finland were retrieved from the Discharge Register of the National Institute for Health and Welfare and combined with data from the Death Certificate Register of Statistics Finland. Thirty-day mortality was identified and compared with overall mortality. Detailed information from death certificates of patients dying within 30-day post-surgery was collected and analyzed.

resultsOver the study period, the thirty-day post-appendectomy mortality rate was 2.1/1000. Increased mortality was found in patients over 60 years of age. Negative appendectomy and complicated appendicitis were related to mortality. The negative appendectomy rate was higher in patients older than 40 years of age. During the study period, both mortality and the rate of negative appendectomies decreased, while the rate of laparoscopic appendectomies increased.

conclusionsPost-appendectomy mortality is related to both negative appendectomies and complicated appendicitis. Diagnostic accuracy is fundamental in the care of patients with acute appendicitis, especially in the elderly. Improved diagnostic accuracy may have reduced mortality over the last two decades in Finland.

Indexed as

AdolescentAdultAgedAged, 80 and overAppendectomyAppendicitisChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMaleMiddle AgedYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID27535664

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.