Unusual histopathological findings in appendectomy specimens from patients with suspected acute appendicitis

Core Tip

Core tip: Appendectomy is one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures worldwide. Although most of the resected appendectomy specimens show typical histopathologic findings, some (< 2%) show unusual histopathologic findings. The most common of these unusual features are primary or secondary appendiceal malignancies, mucocele, enterobisis, schistosomiasis, ascariasis, tuberculosis, amobiasis, and entometriosis. While some of the patients with unusual histopatholic findings require close follow-up and/or additional surgical treatment, others also necessitate antimicrobial therapy. Infectious appendicitis is responsible for a significant majority of the most commonly observed unusual features, especially in cases from developing nations in geographic regions with tropical and sub-tropical climates. Therefore, regardless of the underlying etiology, the results from histopathological examination of the resected appendectomy specimen may help guide the subsequent management of cases to prevent serious appendicular diseases.