Diverticulitis of the appendix-case report and literature review

Abstract

Appendiceal diverticulitis is a rare diagnostic most often mistaken for an acute appendicitis. A 72-year-old man presented with a transfixing abdominal pain for 48 hours. Appendicitis was diagnosed on computed tomography scan, but a neoplasm could not be excluded. A laparoscopic hemicolectomy was performed after a surgical consensus considering the neoplastic appearance of the lesion and anatomical feature. Histopathology finally revealed an appendiceal diverticulitis. Appendiceal diverticulum is a rare condition. Most will lead to an appendiceal diverticulitis, which present similarly to an appendicitis. Perforation rate and mortality rate are much higher in appendiceal diverticulitis than in appendicitis. Furthermore, appendiceal diverticular disease is strongly associated with neoplasms, especially mucinous neoplasms and thus pseudomyxoma peritonei. Considering the high complication rate and malignant association, an appendicectomy in case of an appendiceal diverticulitis or of an incidental finding of appendiceal diverticulosis should be recommended to the patient.