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At least 811 records · Page 45Linked to original sources

Urease-positive thermophilic Campylobacter (Campylobacter laridis variant) isolated from an appendix and from human feces.

Urease-positive thermophilic campylobacters were isolated for the first time from the feces of two adults with diarrheal disease and from the appendix of a child with appendicitis. They were identified as Campylobacter laridis by a hybridization dot blot assay. Urease testing should be included in the tests used for the identification of campylobacters at the species level, even for those strains which are not of gastric origin.

Appendix↗

Not just an appendix: Sir Frederick Treves.

The history of the anatomy and surgery of the appendix is a beautiful chapter in medical education, and we appreciate the role of Sir Frederick Treves in its development.

Appendectomy↗

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: detection of measles virus RNA in appendix lymphoid tissue before clinical signs.

An appendix removed 15 days before onset of symptoms of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis was examined retrospectively for measles virus ribonucleic acid (RNA). Tissue sections hybridised in situ to a cloned measles virus probe of deoxyribonucleic acid specific for nucleocapsid protein showed that many cells of the lymphoid tissue contained measles virus RNA. In contrast, only a few infected lymphoid cells were detected in three out of six seropositive controls and none in three seronegative infants. A widespread chronic viral infection of the immune system, established after measles, may promote or even initiate nerve cell infection in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.

Appendix↗

Pseudomyocardial infarction associated with a retrocaecal gangrenous appendix.

The case is presented of a 54 year old man who attended the emergency department with a history of central abdominal pain and electrocardiograpic changes consistent with an anteroseptal myocardial infarction. Myocardial infarction was not confirmed with serial cardiac enzymes and a subsequent laparotomy revealed a gangrenous retrocaecal appendix. This case highlights the rare but recognised association between an acute surgical abdomen and pseudomyocardial infarction. It is, to the authors' knowledge, the first reported case of pseudomyocardial infarction complicating a retrocaecal appendicitis.

Appendicitis↗

Dermoid cyst: a rare tumour of the appendix.

Dermoid cyst is a rare but well recognised cause of a mass in the abdomen. As a cause of a palpable mass in the right iliac fossa, dermoid and epidermoid cysts of the caecum have hitherto been described. We here report a case of a dermoid cyst arising from the vermiform appendix.

Adult↗

Mucosal metaplasia in the appendix.

Metaplastic foci do not appear to have been previously described in the mucosa of the appendix. Eight examples are reported, two of which were found in a series of 100 consecutive appendicectomies.

Adult↗

Granulomatous disease in the vermiform appendix.

In a twenty-year period 19 appendicectomy specimens were diagnosed as primary Crohn's disease. This represents 4.9% of the total number of both resection specimens and mucosal biopsies diagnosed as Crohn's disease during that time. This is a review of the main histopathological features found in these appendices and their subsequent clinical outcome. The predominant feature is transmural inflammation characterised by fibrosis and giant cell epithelioid granulomata. An accompanying spectrum of acute inflammatory changes is also seen. One patient progressed to more widespread ileal and caecal disease 17 months later. One patient developed perianal fistulae and chronic non-specific proctitis 24 months later. This represents a proven recurrence of one case in a study population of 19. The conclusion is that primary Crohn's disease of the appendix is usually an isolated phenomenon but rarely it may forewarn of more widespread bowel disease in the future. A discussion regarding the differential diagnosis of granulomatous appendiceal lesions is included.

Adolescent↗

Crohn disease of the ileocecal region: US visualization of the appendix.

In three of 52 consecutive patients with a painful mass in the right lower quadrant, ultrasound (US) disclosed severe mural thickening of the terminal ileum and cecum and moderate mural thickening of the appendix. In all three, the tentative diagnosis of Crohn disease was subsequently confirmed. If these US features are found in a patient with a suspected appendiceal mass, the diagnosis of Crohn disease must be seriously considered, and further evaluation is imperative.

Adolescent↗

Presence or absence of gas in the appendix: additional criteria to rule out or confirm acute appendicitis--evaluation with US.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether the presence or absence of gas in the appendix may be considered as additional ultrasonographic (US) criteria to rule out or confirm acute appendicitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The appendices in 239 control subjects, 138 patients with lower right quadrant pain without acute appendicitis, and 80 patients with acute appendicitis were prospectively evaluated for intraluminal gas with US. RESULTS: The appendices in 206 (86%) control subjects showed gas at US, and those in 33 (14%) did not. The appendices in 109 (79%) symptomatic patients without acute appendicitis showed gas, and those in 29 (21%) did not. The appendices in 12 (15%) patients with acutely inflamed appendices showed gas, and those in 68 (85%) did not. The absence of gas as a criterion for acute appendicitis had a sensitivity of 85%; specificity, 79%; positive and negative predictive values, 57% and 94%, respectively; and accuracy, 81%. Gas was useful to exclude acute appendicitis in 64 (46%) symptomatic patients because the established criteria were misleading. In 19 (24%) patients, the absence of gas was useful for diagnosis of acute appendicitis because the other criteria were not convincing. CONCLUSION: US-based detection of gas in the appendiceal lumen helps to rule out acute appendicitis, whereas the absence of gas further confirms its presence, especially in cases where established US criteria are either insufficiently present or misleading.

Acute Disease↗

Outer diameter of the vermiform appendix as a sign of acute appendicitis: evaluation at US.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness and limitations of the outer diameter of the vermiform appendix at cross-sectional ultrasonography to confirm or rule out acute appendicitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective study, outer appendiceal diameters in 240 control subjects and in 278 patients suspected of having acute appendicitis who did (n = 98) or did not (n = 180) have acute appendicitis were measured. RESULTS: Outer appendiceal diameters in the control subjects ranged between 2 and 13 mm, and in 55 (23%) of 240 control subjects, diameters were 6 mm or more. Diameters in the symptomatic patients without acute appendicitis ranged between 2 and 11 mm, and 57 (32%) of 180 patients had diameters of 6 mm or more. Diameters of acutely inflamed appendices ranged between 6 and 30 mm. A diameter of 6 mm or more confirmed acute appendicitis with a sensitivity of 100%; a specificity of 68%; positive and negative predictive values of 63% and 100%, respectively; and an accuracy of 79%. CONCLUSION: The outer appendiceal diameter of 6 mm or more as a sign of acute appendicitis provides high sensitivity but limited specificity. This diagnostic criterion is more useful in excluding acute appendicitis than in confirming it.

Acute Disease↗

Peyer's patches are precocious to the appendix in human development.

PP are first visible at approximately 15.5 wk gestation after which there is a rapid spurt in the development and maturation of lymphoid follicles so that at any given point of time new foci of PP development are continuously formed at a rapid rate. Addition of rows of follicles results in the formation of a PP. Immature PP of younger fetuses have a spongy structure in contrast with the compact lymphoid follicles of mature PP of older fetuses. Immunocytochemical studies reveal that there is a subtle gradation in the expression of lymphocyte surface markers with increasing fetal age. Expression of antigenic markers occurs in an ordered sequence viz. HLA - DR, CD19 (B cell population), CD9 (pre-B cells), CD3 T lymphocytes, CD4 helper / inducer lymphocytes, the CD8 suppressor / cytotoxic cells and lastly, the CD57 Natural Killer cells. The antigens are expressed first on lymphocytes of PP and thereafter in those of the appendix. Our findings clearly demonstrate that the approximately 5 wk fetal period from 17.5 wk to 22 wk represents a major growth phase in the development of surface markers of lymphocytes in the mucosal immune system of the gut.

Antigens, CD↗

Ingested foreign bodies within the appendix: A 100-year review of the literature.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Appendicitis and its complications remain a common problem affecting patients of all age groups. Foreign bodies are a rare cause of appendicitis. We tried to define potentially dangerous foreign bodies that may cause appendicitis and summarize general guidelines for their clinical management. METHODS: A 100-year literature review including 256 cases of ingested foreign bodies within the appendix with emphasis on: (1) objects that are more prone to cause appendicitis or appendiceal perforation; (2) foreign bodies that are radiopaque and may be detected during follow-up with plain abdominal films, and (3) guidelines for clinical management. RESULTS: Complications usually occur with sharp, thin, stiff, pointed and long objects. The majority of these objects are radiopaque. An immediate attempt should be made to remove a risky object by gastroscopy. If this fails, clinical follow-up with serial abdominal radiographs should be obtained. If the anatomical position of the object appears not to change and, most commonly, remains in the right lower abdominal quadrant, an attempt at colonoscopic removal is indicated. If this is unsuccessful, laparoscopic exploration with fluoroscopic guidance should be carried out to localize and remove the objects either by ileotomy, colotomy, or by appendectomy. CONCLUSION: Foreign bodies causing appendicitis are rare. However, if stiff or pointed objects get into the appendiceal lumen they have a high risk for appendicitis or perforation. These foreign bodies are almost always radiopaque.

Appendicitis↗

Epithelium and associated lymphocytes of developing human fetal appendix. Electron microscopic study.

The epithelium and lamina propria of the human fetal appendix between 7.5 and 18 weeks of gestation was examined with electron microscopy. At 7.5 weeks the epithelium was composed of stratified columnar cells; scattered mesenchymal cells appeared in the lamina propria. By 13.5 weeks of gestation the epithelium was composed of simple columnar cells with a microvillous surface, goblet cells containing numerous mucinogen granules and argentaffin cells with elongated electron-dense granules. Also at 13.5 weeks of gestation some free lymphocytes were observed within the lamina propria as well as an occasional migrating lymphocyte within the epithelium between the columnar cells. At 18 weeks of gestation the simple columnar epithelial cells were tightly packed, the goblet cells were secretory and lymphocytes again appeared singly within the epithelium and lamina propria. No evidence of groups of lymphocytes or developing primary follicles within the lamina propria was observed in this study.

Appendix↗

Use of a digestive mucosal graft in urethroplasty. An experimental study--prospective utilization of the appendix mucosa.

Colic mucosa was used as a graft for urethral construction in 9 Sprague-Dawley rats. A urethrectomy was performed in each rat and then a urethroplasty built with the colic mucosa taken from a segmental colectomy. After 6 weeks to 3 months, all of these rats developed a typical urothelium. The digestive mucosa has been transformed into urothelium or acts as a stent to guide regrowth from each end. These results are encouraging, but the use of the appendix mucosa for hypospadias repair and for urethroplasty deserves further study.

Animals↗

An unusual 'appendix' testis.

A six-week-old infant was seen with bilateral inguinal herniae. It was noted that the position of the right testis within the scrotum varied with the degree of inguinal herniation. At exploration the appendix was found lying within the patent processus vaginalis with its tip firmly adherent to the upper pole of the right testis. Appendicectomy was performed through the same incision. This unusual finding should be considered by the clinician if presented with a child with easily reducible inguinal herniae and a fluctuating testicular position.

Appendectomy↗

Diverticulosis of the appendix.

Diverticulosis of the appendix is rarely reported. Two cases with this condition, including a unique example of appendiceal diverticulosis presenting at herniorrhaphy, are described. The aetiology of the condition and factors involved in incidental appendicectomy are considered.

Adult↗