Congenital stenosis of appendix vermiformis: A case report

Abstract

Acute appendicitis requires immediate attention to prevent surgical complications as it is the most common cause of acute abdomen. Infrequently, it can be misdiagnosed due to its wide range of symptoms, anatomical variations, close relation with right-sided tubo-ovarian structures, and developmental abnormalities, requiring sometimes CT scan and even surgical exploration. Anomalies of the appendix, such as agenesis, atresia, duplication and horseshoe appendix, are extremely rare and are commonly found in adult populations as an incidental finding. Even though they are extremely rare in childhood, they may interfere with preoperative diagnosis and surgical treatment by requiring, in some cases, thorough exploration of the retrocecal and ileocecal regions. The aim of this case report is to share our experience of a case of congenital stenosis of the vermiform appendix. To the best of our knowledge, and based on a literature review, this is the first reported case to date. We consider that pediatric surgeons should remove a stenotic appendix if it is found incidentally during a surgical operation as well as during diagnostic imaging examinations (CT or MRI). This is potentially beneficial because an appendix with stenosis is much more predisposed to obstruction. Consequently, the risk of acute appendicitis, is higher in these cases than in cases without stenosis.

Keywords

• Acute appendicitis
• Congenital stenosis
• Appendiceal malformation