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[Crohn's disease of the appendix].
María Alvarez-Blanco1, Luis Angel Fernández-Meré, Enrique Martínez-Rodríguez
1Servicio de Cirugía General I, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Asturias, España. mariaabaj@yahoo.es
Cirugia Espanola
|January 20, 2006
Summary
Crohn
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology and Surgery
Context:
- Crohn's disease typically affects the gastrointestinal tract, but isolated appendiceal involvement is rare.
- Appendiceal Crohn's disease often presents with symptoms mimicking acute appendicitis, particularly in younger individuals.
Purpose:
- To report a series of seven cases of Crohn's disease exclusively affecting the appendix.
- To highlight the diagnostic challenges and clinical presentation of this uncommon condition.
Summary:
- Seven patients with right lower quadrant pain underwent appendectomy, with preoperative diagnoses of acute appendicitis.
- Histopathological examination confirmed Crohn's disease of the appendix in all cases.
- One patient later developed colonic Crohn's disease, responding well to medical management.
Impact:
- Appendiceal Crohn's disease, though rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute appendicitis, especially with atypical presentations.
- Isolated appendiceal Crohn's disease has a generally favorable prognosis with uncommon recurrence in the alimentary tract.