MORPHOLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VERMIFORM APPENDIX DURING THE PRENATAL PERIOD IN MAN

Abstract

In the literature, there are different data about the morphologic characteristics and variations of the appendix during the postnatal period in man, but the information about its characteristics in the prenatal period is scarce. In our study, the characteristics of the appendix in prenatal period of development were studied on the fetal material. We used the fetuses from the collection of the Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine in Niš, 100 of them in total, formalin-fixed, of both genders, in their second and third trimester of intrauterine development. Regarding anatomical variations, we found a missing appendix in one case and a double appendix in another. The appendical opening into the cecum was located on the inner, posterior, outer, and anterior walls of the cecum, always below the ileal opening. The origin from the inferior, lowest part of the cecum was also observed. The appendix ran in preileal, retroileal, prececal, retrocecal, and retrocolic directions. The appendix had tubular shape, with one or two bends, being rarely straight. The length of the appendix varied from very short to very long, descending from the inferior edge of the liver to the right iliac fossa. The morphologic characteristics of the appendix in fetus, observed in our study, in the literature have been described to exist in the postnatal human life as well.

Keywords

• appendix
• prenatal period
• morphologic characteristics