Incidental Findings on Routine Histopathological Examination: Analysis of Pediatric Appendectomy Specimens

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Because of acute appendicitis, surgery is one of the most commonly performed surgeries. Diseases and tumors of the appendix except for acute appendicitis are rare. The aim of this study was to investigate the histopathological findings of acute appendicitis retrospectively. METHODS: The study was planned with the evaluation of the appendectomy materials of children aged 0-18 years who underwent appendectomy with the diagnosis of acute appendicitis between January 2007 and June 2019. Patients with malignancy were excluded from the study. RESULTS: A total of 961 cases were included. 593 (61.7%) of the cases were male. The mean age was 10.95 +- 4.2 (0-18) years. The diagnosis of appendicitis was confirmed in 824 (85.7%) cases. There were 666 (69.3%) cases with periapendicitis. Perforation was observed in 200 (20.8%) cases. In 13 cases (1.4%) the parasite was confirmed and all were E. vermicularis. In 197 (20.5%) cases phlegmanous appendicitis and in 15 (1.6%) cases omentum inflammation were detected. Other findings included carcinoid tumor, meckel diverticulum, ovarian cyst, endometriosis, mucocele. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In conclusion, while lymphoid and fecaloid hyperplasia are the most common cause of acute appendicitis, other reasons should be kept in mind. If the samples are not evaluated histopathologically, these unusual causes can be ignored. There may be diseases that cannot be ruled out and may require treatment.

Keywords

• appendectomy
• child
• histopathology