A Case of Appendiceal Diverticulitis Diagnosed by Preoperative Ultrasonography

Abstract

A 59-year-old man who had visited our hospital regularly for hemodialysis, complained of abdominal pain. Ultrasonography revealed multiple diverticula in the appendix. Based on this result, the patient was diagnosed with appendiceal diverticulitis. Appendectomy was performed. His postoperative course was uneventful, and he was discharged the hospital on the fifth day after the operation. The pathological diagnosis was also appendiceal diverticulitis. It has been said that appendiceal diverticulitis is relatively rare, and that distinguishing the disease from acute appendicitis preoperatively is difficult. We think, however, that the possibility of preoperative diagnosis would increase, if ultrasonography is performed with greater awareness of appendiceal diverticulitis.

Two Cases of Appendiceal Diverticulitis with Perforation

“…The potential reasons for this are acute exacerbation of obstructive enteritis resulting from poor drainage due to a narrow lumen at the blind end of the appendix, 6) the vulnerability of the appendicular artery (a functional end-artery) to ischemia, 8) and the lack of a proper muscular layer in many false diverticula. 6) Most patients with perforation also develop peritonitis.…”