Unexpected Acute-Onset Stump Appendicitis in a Teenager: A Rare Postappendectomy Complication

Electronic Clinical Challenges and Images in GI

Index of Suspicion

49-Year-Old Woman With Acute Abdominal Pain and Nausea

Background: Incomplete appendectomy may predispose to the development of stump appendicitis. Stump appendicitis, the interval re-inflammation of the residual appendiceal tissue, is a rare complication of appendectomy. Stump appendicitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any patient with a previous history of appendectomy who presents with signs and symptoms of appendicitis. Case History: A 15 yr old girl, class 10 student presented with on & off right lower quadrant pain, vomiting and anorexia since 5months i.e. one week post appendicectomy surgery. Ultrasound examination revealed an inflamed residual stump with periappendicular edema. Completion open appendicectomy performed safely & patient got relieved of her symptoms fully. Conclusion: Stump appendicitis is a rare but real complication after appendectomy surgery. Diagnosis of stump appendicitis certainly requires a high clinical suspicion and one should be aware of this uncommon phenomenon. Ultrasonogram & CT scan are proven useful tools in establishing the diagnosis. Completion appendicectomy either by open/laparoscopic surgery is the standard treatment to avoid lot of morbidity. Regardless of the surgical technique used, identification of the appendiceal base by tracing the taenia coli down to the appendix is crucial in preventing such a complication.

There has been a recent increase in interest in stump appendicitis with the rapid development of laparoscopic appendectomy. The objective of this study is to determine the frequency, management, and prevention of stump appendicitis in a retrospective review of 2185 cases of appendectomy and right colectomy at the Massachusetts General Hospital from 1960 to 1998. Three patients with stump appendicitis were identified. Patients presented with epigastric or periumbilical pain that radiated to the right lower quadrant. All had focal abdominal signs and a mild to moderate leukocytosis, and all underwent right colectomy. Pathology noted appendiceal stumps 5 mm deep. Two additional patients with chronic abdominal pain had cecal filling defects on barium enema. Endoscopically, these appendiceal stumps were 7 mm deep with impacted fecaliths and pathologic changes consistent with early inflammation. The stumps were resected by snare electrocautery. Stump appendicitis is a very rare entity. Its incidence may be minimized with accurate visualization of the appendiceal base and creation of an appendiceal stump less than 3 mm in depth. There is no correlation between simple ligation or inversion of the stump and stump appendicitis. There should not be a sudden increase in the incidence of this entity if laparoscopic appendectomy is performed properly.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Mimicking Surgical Pathologies: What Surgeons Need to Know about MIS-C.

We describe a case of stump appendicitis with the formation of abdominal abscesses in a 41-year-old patient 10 years prior appendectomy. The patient consulted with fever (38.1 °C) and abdominal pain, located at the right iliac fossa. Imaging studies showed signs of abscesses, located at the right iliac fossa, without clear origin of these abscesses. The abscesses were drained through diagnostic laparoscopy, no bowel perforation or clear origin of the abscedation was found during laparoscopy. During postoperative stay, the inflammatory parameters rose and the abscesses reoccurred. Re-laparoscopy was performed, the abscesses were drained and on careful inspection and adhesiolysis, a perforated stump appendicitis was revealed, covered underneath layers of fibrous tissue. Stump appendicitis is a rare complication seen after appendectomy and is generally not considered a possible etiology in patients presenting with fever and right iliac fossa abdominal pain with a history of appendectomy. This often delays the correct diagnosis and results in an associated increased incidence of complications. We describe a case of stump appendicitis occurring 10 years after initial appendectomy.

Stump appendicitis (SA) is a rare long-term complication after laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) that can be associated with high morbidity due to delayed diagnosis. We aimed to determine the incidence, risk factors, diagnosis, and management of SA by reviewing our large cohort of LA and performing a systematic review of the literature. We retrospectively reviewed data of all patients who developed SA after LA between 2006 and 2020. Demographics, peri-operative variables, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. A systematic review of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase and GoogleScholar bibliographic databases was also performed to identify publications regarding SA following LA. A total of 2,019 patients underwent LA; 5 (0.25%) developed SA after a median of 292days. The most common symptom at presentation was right lower quadrant pain. Four SA (80%) occurred in patients with a history of complicated appendicitis at index operation. All patients were diagnosed with computed tomography and underwent completion stump appendectomy by laparoscopy. No postoperative complications were recorded. A total of 55 studies with 76 cases of SA after LA were identified in the systematic review. Most SA (98.7%) underwent surgery: 52% by laparoscopic approach and 36% through an open approach. Stump appendectomy was performed in 94.4% cases and an extended resection in 5.6%. Although SA is a rare complication after LA, a high index of clinical suspicious and imaging studies are key for early diagnosis and treatment. A laparoscopic resection of the inflamed appendiceal stump is feasible, safe, and highly effective. A minority of patients with severe cecum compromise may need extended resections or conversion to open surgery.

Objective: Appendectomy for appendicitis is one of the most common surgical procedures performed worldwide. The remnant of the appendix stump after the first appendectomy carries the risk of developing stump appendicitis. Stump appendicitis is a rare late complication of appendectomy; inflammation occurs in the remaining appendicular stump. Delayed diagnosis of this condition can cause serious complications. Stump appendicitis is indeed a recognized clinical picture, but is often overlooked when evaluating patients with right lower quadrant abdominal pain, especially those with a history of appendectomy. It remains a clinical challenge because of its often delayed diagnosis and effective treatment, and possible accompanying morbidity or mortality. Material and Methods: Materials and Methods: We retrospectively screened the patients who were hospitalized in our general surgery clinic and diagnosed with stump appendicitis in the hospital for 12 years. There were 11 patients between January 2011 and 2023 Results: The mean age of all 11 patients described was 55 years (range: 20 to 66). 72% of the patients were male (8/11 males and 3/11 females). 63% of the patients had their first operations open, and 36% of them were laparoscopic. The mean white blood cell count on presentation of all reported 11 cases was 11,996 cells/mm3 (range: 5930 to 18,740), the mean fever was 37.82°C (range: 36.8 to 38.6), and the mean CRP count on presentation of all cases was 36.7 (range: 0.4 to 142.91). The most commonly performed radiographic examination used to diagnose stump appendicitis is the abdominal computerized tomography (CT) scan. It was used in 100% (11 cases). Ultrasound was also used in 100% (11 cases). Conclusion: The appendicular base must be accessed prior to undertaking an appendectomy, irrespective of the chosen strategy or technique. It is noteworthy that, apart from open or laparoscopic appendectomy, antibiotic therapy should also be considered as part of the treatment regimen, as documented in the literature series.

Worldwide, acute appendicitis (AA) is the most frequent cause of acute surgical abdomen. Although typically associated with pain migrating to the right iliac fossa, AA can also manifest with pain in the left lower quadrant, often linked to anatomical anomalies. Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) have the highest incidence of AA compared to other regions of the world. To explore the sociodemographic characteristics; clinical characteristics, and postoperative outcomes in patients with left-sided AA in LAC. We performed a systematic review including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, LILACS, Dialnet, Redalyc, Scielo, and Google Scholar databases. We considered as inclusion criteria case reports of left-sided appendicitis involving specific anatomical anomalies, and studies conducted in LAC. Morevoer, we assessed methodologic quality using Joanna Briggs Institute tool for case reports. A total of 23 patients were included in 23 case reports. Colombia accounted for the majority of left-sided AA cases. The median age was 37 years (8-65). Initial pain location was diffuse abdominal pain (39.1%), pain was refered (n=5; 55.6%) and migrated (n=11; 78.6%) mainly to left iliac fossa. Situs inversus totalis (SIT) was the most prevalent anatomical anomaly (69.6%), while laparotomy emerged as the predominant surgical approach (65.2%). Considering left-sided AA in the diagnosis of adults with diffuse abdominal pain towards the left lower quadrant is crucial. SIT is the primary associated anatomical variation. These emphasize the significance of understanding atypical presentations for effective management in the LAC population.

Stump appendicitis is a rare complication of appendectomy in which residual appendiceal tissue becomes inflamed, mimicking acute appendicitis. This case report highlights the classic clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of stump appendicitis. A 61-year-old male presented with abdominal pain and a past history of open appendectomy performed 4 years prior. Clinical examination, laboratory, and radiological findings were highly suggestive of stump appendicitis. Surgical exploration confirmed an inflamed appendiceal stump, which was resected, and the patient had an uneventful recovery postoperatively. Stump appendicitis is a rare but important differential diagnosis in patients with a history of appendectomy who present with acute abdominal pain. Delayed diagnosis can result in complications such as perforation and peritonitis. Imaging plays a crucial role in diagnosis, and surgical resection, typically performed through open-completion appendectomy, remains the treatment of choice. Although stump appendicitis is rare, it should always be considered in patients with a prior appendectomy who present with acute abdomen. Early recognition and prompt surgical intervention are essential to prevent morbidity and mortality.

Stump appendicitis is an acute inflammation of the residual appendix and is a rare complication after appendectomy. The physician should be aware of the possibility of stump appendicitis in patients with right lower abdominal pain after appendectomy so that delayed diagnosis and treatment can be prevented. Stump appendicitis is usually treated by surgical resection, and endoscopic treatment has not been reported previously. A 48-year-old man who had undergone appendectomy 35 years earlier presented to the hospital because of right lower quadrant discomfort. A computed tomography scan showed a large stone in the residual appendix. Colonoscopic findings revealed a large, smooth, protruding lesion at the cecum with a stone inside the appendiceal orifice. Endoscopic removal after incision of the appendiceal orifice was performed successfully.

Stump appendicitis is a rare complication of appendectomy because of recurrent inflammation of the residual appendix. The diagnosis is often delayed because of low index of suspicious, which may result in serious complications. Twenty-three-year-old male patient presented with right lower quadrant abdominal pain after 7 month of appendectomy done at a hospital. On physical examination, he has right lower quadrant tenderness and rebound tenderness. Abdominal ultrasound was done with finding of blind-ended tubular noncompressible 2 cm long part of appendix with wall-to-wall diameter of 10 mm. There is also focal defect with surrounding fluid collection. With this finding, perforated stump appendicitis was diagnosed. He was operated with similar intra operative finding. The patient discharged improved after 5 days of hospital. This is first reported case in Ethiopia as far as our search is concerned. Despite past medical history of appendectomy, the diagnosis was made by means of ultrasound scan. Stump appendicitis is a rare but important complication of appendectomy, often misdiagnosed. Prompt recognition is important to avoid serious complications. This pathologic entity should always be kept in mind in case of right lower quadrant pain in patient with previous history of appendectomy.

Stump appendicitis is an acute inflammation of the residual appendix and one of the rare complications after appendectomy. Paying attention to the possibility of stump appendicitis in patients with right lower abdominal pain after appendectomy can prevent the delay of diagnosis and treatment. In patients with stump appendicitis, CT scan not only assists in making an accurate preoperative diagnosis but also excludes other etiologies. We report a 47-year old man with preoperatively diagnosed stump appendicitis by CT, who underwent an open appendectomy 20 years ago.

Stump appendicitis in two adolescent boys: Rare presentations and alternative approaches in pediatrics