Appendicectomy in sub-Saharan Africa: a tale of too many and too few

Abstract

The gold standard treatment for acute appendicitis remains appendicectomy, despite ongoing debates regarding the necessity of surgical intervention. In sub-Saharan Africa, there is a perceived increase in the incidence of acute appendicitis. However, evidence indicates that a significant proportion of affected individuals do not undergo timely appendicectomy, with estimates suggesting that 60-76% of cases remain untreated.