Background: The Alvarado scoring system was first described in 1986 and has been validated in surgical practice since then. The use of an objective scoring system such as the Modified Alvarado system (Table 1) can reduce the number of negative appendectomies.
Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Modified Alvarado Scoring System (MASS), as a diagnostic tool for acute appendicitis and to correlate its findings with histopathological examination (HPE) in patients presenting with right iliac fossa (RIF) pain at a teaching hospital in Northern India. Other objectives are to evaluate the utility of MASS in reducing negative appendectomy and to analyze the prevalence of various clinical signs and symptoms of acute appendicitis in the study population.
Materials and Methods: A prospective clinical study was carried out at Rama Medical College Hospital, Hapur for a period of 2 years. Patients admitted with right iliac fossa pain presenting in the casualty were included in the study. Sample size of 100 subjects was taken.
Result: Individuals with scores >7 have a 93% sensitivity. Pain was the most prevailing feature, recognized in all subjects (100%). RIF tenderness accounted for majority of signs on clinical examination (93%).
Conclusion: The Modified Alvarado Scoring system’s simplicity, application ease, and reliance on patient history, medical examination, and fundamental laboratory investigations make it a highly utilitarian method for diagnosing appendicitis.
Keywords: Modified Alvarado Score, Acute Appendicitis, Right Iliac Fossa Pain, Appendectomy, Negative Appendectomy Rate.
