Most patients feel better immediately after an operation for appendicitis. Many patients are discharged from the hospital within 24 hours after the appendectomy. Almost all patients are back to their normal activities within three weeks. The mortality rate of appendicitis has dramatically decreased over time. Currently, the mortality rate is estimated at 1-2 per 1,000,000 cases of appendicitis.
Death is usually due to peritonitis, intra abdominal abscess or severe infection following rupture.
The complications associated with undiagnosed, misdiagnosised, or delayed diagnosis of appendectomy are very significant. The diagnosis is of appendicitis is difficult and never certain. This has led surgeons to perform an appendectomy any time that they feel appendicitis is the diagnosis. Rates much lower than this would seem to indicate that the diagnosis of appendicitis was being frequently missed. A collection of pus buried deep in the tissues or in a body cavity.