From January 1st, 1987 to December 31st, 1989, 267 patients were operated upon for acute appendicitis representing 97% of emergency laparotomies at the Pediatric Surgery Department of Santa Maria Hospital (HSM); of these, 207 records were analysed using a retrospective protocol and the results were as follows: most frequent symptoms were abdominal pain (99% of cases) and anorexia (86%). Referral for surgical evaluation was made in 35.8% of cases 48 hours after the onset of symptoms; surgery was performed in 129 patients (62.4%) in advanced stages of disease, with histopathological examinations of necrotic, perforated and gangrenous appendices. 15 patients (7.2%) had no appendicitis-11 were found to have follicular hyperplasia and 4 normal histology; of these, luminal distention by parasitic eggs was found in 4. Antibiotic therapy was used in 89 patients preoperatively and in 200 patients postoperatively; cefoxitin was the most commonly used in 89.9% and 83.0% respectively. There were 19 complications (9.2%): 8 parietal, 5 pelvic and 1 subphrenic abscesses, 4 total or partial obstructions and 1 lost drain; 4 patients (1.9%) were reoperated and there was no mortality.