Other pathology besides appendicitis may be found in patients with right lower quadrant pain. This has led some to advocate diagnostic laparoscopy/laparoscopic appendectomy for all such cases. This policy would substantially raise the costs of care without a priori proof of its efficacy. However, a selective approach on when to proceed with diagnostic laparoscopy will depend on the frequency of finding unexpected, nonappendiceal pathology. To determine this, we reviewed our experience with 202 appendectomies. For females < 50 years old, 33 per cent had normal appendices, 12 per cent had periappendicitis, 47 per cent had acute appendicitis, 12 per cent had perforated appendicitis, and 26 per cent had other nonappendiceal pathology. For males < 50 years old, 13 per cent had normal appendices, 8 per cent had periappendicitis, 67 per cent had acute appendicitis, 15 per cent had perforated appendicitis, and 5 per cent had other pathology. For patients > 50 years old, 7 per cent had normal appendices, 13 per cent had periappendicitis, 33 per cent had acute appendicitis, 60 per cent had perforated appendicitis, and 20 per cent other pathology. Other nonappendiceal pathology was found in 42 per cent of females < 50 with normal appendices, 57 per cent with periappendicitis, and 14 per cent with acute/perforated appendicitis. In males < 50 years, 50 per cent of those with normal appendices, 10 per cent of those with periappendicitis, and 0.7 per cent of those with acute appendicitis had nonappendiceal pathology. In conclusion, women of childbearing age and patients > 50 years old have a significant incidence of nonappendiceal pathology. In this group of patients, a diagnostic laparoscopy appears justifiable to identify the cause of the abdominal pain.