Primary Crohnʼs Disease of the Appendix
- 1 March 1979
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wolters Kluwer Health in Annals of Surgery
- Vol. 189 (3) , 334-339
- https://doi.org/10.1097/00000658-197903000-00014
Abstract
Fourteen patients with primary Crohn's disease of the appendix have been seen in a 12 year period. These patients represent 12.8% of the total number undergoing surgical resection because of Crohn's disease. Twenty-three cases of appendiceal Crohn's disease have been previously reported in the literature. A correct preoperative diagnosis is rarely made; the usual diagnosis is that of acute appendicitis or appendiceal abscess. The removed appendix in twelve of our 14 cases had marked thickening of the wall with transmural fibrosis and often with granulomatous inflammation. The enlarged appendix had an external appearance similar to that of ileal Crohn's disease, and we consider a correct surgical diagnosis might be possible with better awareness of its existence. The diagnosis might be suspected earlier when the clinical course of apparent appendicitis is protracted or atypical. Contrary to the previous estimation of high recurrence rate, this series and the cumulative evidence in the literature show a relatively low rate at 14%. The feared fistula formation following the removal of the appendix has not been seen in either our series or the literature. These patients, however, merit long-term follow-up.This publication has 25 references indexed in Scilit:
- THE PATHOGENESIS OF CROHN'S DISEASEThe Lancet, 1977
- Crohn's disease of the appendix.1977
- Regional enteritis (crohn's disease) limited to the appendix.1976
- Crohn's disease of the appendix presenting as lower intestinal hemorrhage and cecal mass.1976
- Isolated Crohn's disease of the appendix: case report.1974
- Crohn's Disease of the Appendix Presenting as Acute AppendicitisRadiology, 1974
- Crohn's disease of the appendix.1973
- Crohn's disease of the appendix.1972
- Crohn's Disease (Regional Enteritis) of the Large Intestine and its Distinction from Ulcerative ColitisGut, 1960
- Nonspecific granulomatous inflammation (Crohn's disease) of the appendix; a case report.1953