Acute appendicitis in newborns tends to progress rapidly and if left untreated can easily lead to life-threatening complications such as perforation of the appendix and diffuse peritonitis.
As conservative treatment is often difficult to control, almost all cases of acute neonatal appendicitis require surgery, with the surgeon choosing either laparoscopic appendectomy or open appendectomy depending on the child’s condition. For children who are difficult to diagnose preoperatively, the surgeon may perform a caesarean section to clarify the diagnosis and manage it as soon as possible.