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Appendiceal colic in children: a true clinical entity?
A Gorenstin1, F Serour, R Katz
1Division of Pediatric Surgery, Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel.
Journal of the American College of Surgeons
|March 1, 1996
Summary
Appendiceal colic, a cause of recurrent abdominal pain in children, may be a genuine condition. Elective appendectomy offers significant pain relief for affected pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Gastroenterology
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Recurrent abdominal pain is common in children, with organic causes identified in 10% of cases.
- Appendiceal colic, characterized by partial luminal obstruction without inflammation, is a potential cause of this pain.
- This condition leads to frequent hospital admissions and evaluations in the pediatric population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate appendiceal colic as a clinical entity in children presenting with recurrent right lower quadrant abdominal pain.
- To evaluate the efficacy of elective appendectomy in resolving symptoms associated with appendiceal colic.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study of children with right lower quadrant abdominal pain, excluding those with acute appendicitis.
- Diagnosis of appendiceal colic based on specific criteria: prolonged recurrent pain, localized tenderness, and characteristic radiological findings on barium studies.
- Elective appendectomy performed after symptom recurrence in diagnosed cases.
Main Results:
- Twenty-six children diagnosed with appendiceal colic underwent elective appendectomy.
- Immediate postoperative pain relief was achieved in 88.5% of patients (23 out of 26).
- The remaining three children experienced pain relief within four months following the procedure.
Conclusions:
- Appendiceal colic is proposed as a distinct clinical entity in pediatric patients.
- Elective appendectomy demonstrates significant effectiveness in alleviating pain for children diagnosed with appendiceal colic.