Stump appendicitis – a systematic analysis

Abstract

<b>Aim:</b> The study was conducted to analyze stump appendicitis which is a long-term complication of appendectomy – the otherwise commonest general surgical procedure conducted in the world. </br></br> <b>Methods:</b> 48 cases included from 36 articles published in the peer reviewed journals of repute were evaluated for eight variables including: (I) age of the patient, (II) gender, (III]) duration of symptoms, (IV) imaging, (V) interval time since initial operation, (VI) details of initial operation, (VII) management, (VIII) stump length if managed by operation. </br></br> <b> Results:</b> 48 cases (27 males and 19 females) ranging in age from 2 to 72 years reported after a wide range of time (3 days – 46 years) after primary appendectomy. The duration of symptoms ranged from 1 day to 7 months. As many as 31 (64.5%) cases had inflamed stump appendix whereas 17 (33.5%) had perforation. Twenty-one (43.7%) had undergone laparoscopic primary appendectomy and 27 (56.3%) had undergone open appendectomy. Management of the retained stump included stump appendectomy in 42 (87.5%), right hemicolectomy in 2 (4.2%) and conservative in 4 (8.3%) cases. In the 44 cases managed by surgical intervention, the approach was open in 27 (61.4%) and laparoscopic in 17 (38.6%) cases. The length of the retained appendix stump ranged from 0.5 cm to 6.5 cm (mean 2.14 cm). </br></br> <b>Conclusion:</b> Stump appendicitis is an entity that a physician needs to suspect if a patient reports with features of appendicitis even after appendectomy had been conducted. Management is generally surgical and aimed at removal of the retained appendiceal stump.