Hazem Alouani, Ghazi Lâamiri, Nada Ltifi, Hazem Beji, Mahdi Bouassida, Hassen Touinsi
AD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Elective or urgent appendectomy is recommended due to the high risk of complications and its association with neoplastic lesions. Careful macroscopic and microscopic examination of appendectomy specimens is essential.
INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Appendiceal diverticulitis (AD) is an uncommon and often overlooked pathology of the vermiform appendix. It closely mimics acute appendicitis but carries a significantly higher risk of perforation and is frequently associated with appendiceal neoplasms, including neuroendocrine tumors and mucinous adenomas. Preoperative diagnosis remains challenging.
CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 59-year-old man presenting with a 2-day history of right iliac fossa pain, nausea, and vomiting. Ultrasonography identified a dilated, thick-walled appendix, suggestive of acute appendicitis. Laparoscopic appendectomy revealed multiple inflamed diverticula along the appendix. The postoperative course was uneventful. Histopathological examination confirmed acute appendiceal diverticulitis without dysplasia or malignancy.
CLINICAL DISCUSSION: AD is rare, with a prevalence ranging from 0.014% to 3.7%. Clinical and radiologic findings are often indistinguishable from acute appendicitis. Computed tomography imaging may help identify an inflamed diverticulum, but sensitivity remains low. AD carries a higher risk of perforation and is strongly linked to appendiceal neoplasia, warranting systematic pathological evaluation of all appendectomy specimens.
CONCLUSION: AD should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Elective or urgent appendectomy is recommended due to the high risk of complications and its association with neoplastic lesions. Careful macroscopic and microscopic examination of appendectomy specimens is essential.