Acute appendicitis in Buraidah, Saudi Arabia

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Pathology
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Appendicitis is a common surgical emergency.
• Clinical diagnosis of appendicitis can be challenging, leading to potential misdiagnosis.
• Histopathological examination provides a definitive diagnosis and can uncover incidental findings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare clinical diagnosis with histopathological findings in appendectomy specimens.
• To identify associated histological lesions and their clinical significance.
• To assess the value of routine histopathological examination for patient management.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective case series design was employed.
• 370 appendectomy specimens were reviewed over a 12-month period.
• Diagnostic accuracy of clinical appendicitis diagnosis was evaluated against histopathological results.

Main Results:

• The diagnostic accuracy of clinical appendicitis was 81%.
• Acute appendicitis was most prevalent in the 10-29 year age group (74.0%).
• A higher incidence of non-inflamed appendices was observed in females, and 3% of cases revealed unsuspected parasitic/protozoal infections.

Conclusions:

• Routine histopathological examination of all appendectomy specimens is essential.
• This practice aids in the detection of unexpected, treatable parasitic and protozoal infections.
• Histopathological analysis enhances diagnostic certainty and informs patient management strategies.