Too Many Appendectomies!

[Lily C.]

At my hospital, we have admitted more people with appendicitis in the past month than I can believe. We had two in one week, which was unusual, but then in the following several weeks, there have been four or more each week (though I am in a city). They have all been young; the youngest being six years old, the oldest twenty-five. Has anybody else ever had a strange trend like this before? Is it the weather? :wink2:

[Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN]

Yep - we'll go weeks without a diabetic on the floor, then we'll get tons. We've never had an amputation before last week - then we had 3 within days of each other. (inpt rehab unit).

Last month, it seemed every pt we admitted had alcohol abuse issues.

It's really weird.

[annmariern]

This time of year we have tons of pancreatitis, cholys, appys, the GI rush hour. Oh and suicide attempts.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

last winter, there must have been some colon demons in the first state!

to have a patient who hadn't received an ex-lap (usually with colostomy) was a shock. i was the ng tube queen! (as well as the princess of tpn...and witch of the central line blood draws).

maybe i took the demons with me, because when i came home from the virgin islands in february, the belly surgeries were no more.

it's strange how these things tend to happen in droves.

*~jess~*

[StrwbryblndRN]

"Theme of the week" is the term I use.

This week's theme is wounds adjacent to ostomies. (we have 2 with wound vacs and 2 with fistulas)

[lovehospital]

The reason for it is that appendicitis is the most common emergency room visit,a lot of it has to do with a inappropriate diet consisting of seeds,nuts etc..On the other hand I love post op patients so much teaching and observation..

[lovehospital]

At my hospital, we have admitted more people with appendicitis in the past month than I can believe. We had two in one week, which was unusual, but then in the following several weeks, there have been four or more each week (though I am in a city). They have all been young; the youngest being six years old, the oldest twenty-five. Has anybody else ever had a strange trend like this before? Is it the weather? :wink2:

It is the disorder of young...from 10-30...Kiddos eat a lot of strange stuff (parents cant always supervise their kids snacks...like for instance the shells of the sunflower seeds.I had my appendicitis exactly at the age of 6,because of eating sunflower seeds shells

[Iam46yearsold]

At my hospital, we have admitted more people with appendicitis in the past month than I can believe. We had two in one week, which was unusual, but then in the following several weeks, there have been four or more each week (though I am in a city). They have all been young; the youngest being six years old, the oldest twenty-five. Has anybody else ever had a strange trend like this before? Is it the weather? :wink2:

Last winter we had a night where we sent 14 appendicitis to OR. Sometimes it just happens.

[LovingNurse, BSN, RN]

We had 3 acute appey's admitted to the same on-call surgeon one recent night. Must have been running a special.

[Lily C.]

I'm glad to hear this isn't unusual. 14 in one night! That's outrageous!

[Iam46yearsold]

I'm glad to hear this isn't unusual. 14 in one night! That's outrageous!

Later, pathology confirmed all 14 as appendicitis

[rngolfer53]

At my hospital, we have admitted more people with appendicitis in the past month than I can believe. We had two in one week, which was unusual, but then in the following several weeks, there have been four or more each week (though I am in a city). They have all been young; the youngest being six years old, the oldest twenty-five. Has anybody else ever had a strange trend like this before? Is it the weather? :wink2:

Most likely just random chance. A good book on the subject is "The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives" Author is Mlodinow.