A rare clinical entity: stump appendicitis. Case report and complete review of literature

Stump appendicitis is a rare delayed complication post-appendectomy and it represents a diagnostic problem as clinicians are often not very familiar with this pathology.

One case of stump appendicitis has been reported in a 54 year old woman, whose acute phase was conservatively treated in our Department. A review of Medline literature was also carried out, from 1945 to 2015, showing 111 cases of stump appendicitis.

Stump appendicitis has been reported after either open or laparoscopic appendectomy, in a range between days to several years from the first procedure. Nowadays, it is not considered yet as a possible differential diagnosis in patients with pain in the right iliac fossa previously undergone appendectomy. For this reason, the diagnosis can be delayed and complications such as acute abdomen, perforation, sepsis can occur. Completion appendectomy is the treatment of choice for stump appendicitis.

The aim of this article is to underline the importance of stump appendicitis. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of SA and they should confirm any clinical suspicion throughout radiologic images, in order to promptly recognize this entity and to avoid the related complications.