儿童急性阑尾炎的超声诊断

目的探讨超声检查在儿童急性阑尾炎诊断中的应用价值。方法对246例临床疑为急性阑尾炎的患儿予以急诊腹部B超检查。通过测量阑尾外径,观察阑尾腔内容物,阑尾壁有无充血,以及阑尾周围情况等来判断是否存在阑尾炎。结果246例急性腹痛患儿中,114例超声诊断为急性阑尾炎,其中97例急诊手术切除阑尾,另17例阑尾脓肿予非手术治疗,于6个月后择期手术。术后病理均证实诊断无误。余132例患儿中121例肠系膜淋巴结炎,6例卵巢囊肿,1例胆总管囊肿,1例肠系膜囊肿,2例右肾积水,1例右侧输尿管结石。肠系膜淋巴结炎患儿予非手术治疗,其中103例好转,18例因症状不消失仍施以阑尾切除术,病理报告5例为化脓性阑尾炎,13例为单纯性阑尾炎。结论超声检查在儿童急性阑尾炎的诊断中有实用价值。     

老年急性阑尾炎45例诊疗体会

目的分析老年急性阑尾炎患者的临床特点,指导老年急性阑尾炎的正确诊断和合理治疗。方法对45例60岁以上的老年急性阑尾炎患者的临床诊断及治疗的相关资料进行收集分析。结果 45例患者均行手术治疗,单纯阑尾切除41例,阑尾切除加腹腔冲洗术4例,所有患者均痊愈出院。结论老年人急性阑尾炎临床表现多不典型,且发展快,阑尾穿孔率高,病死率高,老年急性阑尾炎极易误诊和误治;符合手术条件的早期手术是治疗老年急性阑尾炎成功的关键。     

Acute appendicitis of the appendiceal stump

We report a case of a 27-year-old man, status post open appendectomy as an infant, in whom the diagnosis of acute appendicitis of the appendiceal stump was made by computed tomography (CT). A coronal reformatted CT image demonstrated both the inflamed appendix and a normal terminal ileum. Although rare, stump appendicitis may present with signs and symptoms typical of acute appendicitis in patients status post appendectomy and should be considered in the differential diagnosis.     

急性阑尾炎术前超声定位的临床应用及其价值

目的 探讨急性阑尾炎术前超声定位和体表标记法的临床应用及其价值。方法 选取68例经超声检查已明确显示病变阑尾的患者，在超声观察下用防水色笔描记阑尾在腹壁相应体表投影的整体形态，手术切口3cm限定于阑尾的体表投影处，将超声定位结果与手术病理检查结果相比较。结果 超声诊断急性阑尾炎68例，术前超声对病变阑尾的定位均与手术所见相符，其中阑尾盆位14例，盲肠下位13例，盲肠后位11例，回盲前位14例，回盲后位11例，异位阑尾5例。术前超声定位使阑尾切除手术操作方便，明显缩短了术中寻找阑尾的时间，患者出血少，术后恢复快。结论 术前超声定位为症状典型和非典型急性阑尾炎诊断及外科处理提供了客观的影像依据，有助于手术医师在阑尾切除术中快速找到阑尾顺利完成手术。     

Granulomatous appendicitis presenting as right lower quadrant pain: CT findings

Background: We present the computed tomographic (CT) findings of granulomatous appendicitis. Methods: Five of 652 (0.9%) patients who had undergone appendectomy for clinically suspected acute appendicitis over a 19-month period proved to have granulomatous appendicitis. One patient had surgery based on a clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Four patients (three men and one woman; age range = 14–39 years) underwent abdominal CT. The CT findings were retrospectively reviewed with special attention to the appendiceal abnormalities. Results: All four patients presented with subacute clinical presentation. Enlarged appendices of 4.5 and 2 cm in diameter with thickened walls of soft tissue density were found in two patients, and periappendicular inflammatory masses were found in the other two. Enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes and right lower quadrant fat stranding was seen in all four patients. Histopathology showed numerous granulomas within the inflamed appendix. Conclusion: Radiologists should be familiar with the rare entity of granulomatous appendicitis in patients examined by CT for suspected acute appendicitis. An insidious clinical presentation with CT findings of an exceptionally large appendix and associated periappendiceal inflammatory changes should raise the possibility of granulomatous appendicitis or carcinoma or lymphoma of the appendix.     

The gas-containing appendix: potential sonographic pitfall in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

The presence of gas within the appendix on plain abdominal radiographs is nonspecific and may or may not be associated with acute appendicitis. This finding, however, has not previously been reported with graded compression sonography of the right lower quadrant. Gas within the appendix was identified in four of 154 patients with a visualized appendix. All four patients had surgically confirmed acute appendicitis. Diagnostic difficulties were encountered in three of these four patients. In two patients, the findings were misinterpreted as an extraluminal gas-forming periappendiceal abscess. In an additional patient, the gas-filled appendix was initially mistaken for a segment of normal terminal ileum. The gas-filled appendix is a potential pitfall in the sonographic diagnosis of acute appendicitis. However, if other diagnostic criteria are met, gas within the appendix should not preclude establishing a sonographic diagnosis of appendicitis.     

Acute appendicitis mimicking infectious enteritis: diagnostic value of sonography.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the role of sonography in screening of acute appendicitis in patients admitted to an infectious disease unit for suspected acute infectious enteritis. METHODS: One hundred eighty consecutive patients (102 male and 78 female; age range, 5-72 years; mean age, 31 years) admitted for suspected infectious enteritis or typhoid fever were prospectively studied with abdominal sonography within 48 hours after admission. None of the patients had peritoneal irritation. Forty-six patients (25%) had white blood cell counts of more than 10,000/mm3 (range, 10,300-18,000/mm3). The diagnosis of acute appendicitis was made when a detectable appendix with an anteroposterior diameter of greater than 7 mm could be seen on sonography. RESULTS: Eleven (6%) of 180 patients had thickened appendixes (anteroposterior diameter range, 7-14 mm); 2 of them had periappendiceal abscesses. Four (36%) of 11 patients with acute appendicitis had high white blood cell counts. All sonographic diagnoses of acute appendicitis and periappendiceal abscesses were confirmed at surgery. Sonography ruled out acute appendicitis in 169 patients. In all of them, clinical and sonographic follow-up excluded the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Normal appendixes were shown on sonography in 38 (22%) of 169 cases and were not detectable in 131 (78%) of 169. CONCLUSIONS: Sonography of the appendix is a useful method for early assessment of acute appendicitis in patients thought to have enteritis or typhoid fever.     

The value of laboratory tests in patients suspected of acute appendicitis.

The clinical usefulness of laboratory tests was examined in 258 patients admitted to the emergency room with the general practitioner's tentative diagnosis, acute appendicitis. Acute appendectomy was performed on 91 patients. Histological examination of the appendix confirmed the diagnosis in 69 cases (acute appendicitis 20, phlegmonous appendicitis 36, perforation 13). Seven patients with appendicular infiltrate were not subjected to operation but the diagnosis was clear from clinical examination. On close examination/operation by the surgical team, 96 admitted patients were excluded from the primary diagnosis, acute appendicitis, and served as a control group. Receiver Operation Characteristic curves (ROC-curves) showed that the sensitivity and specificity and hence diagnostic efficiency for total white blood cell count, number of segmented leukocytes and C-reactive protein concentration for the detection of acute appendicitis were higher than for erythrocyte sedimentation rate, alpha 1-antiproteinase concentration and body temperature. We observed that when all three parameters, C-reactive protein, white blood cell count and segmented leukocytes, are within the normal range the diagnosis, acute appendicitis is highly unlikely. The diagnostic value of the different laboratory parameters appears, moreover, to be highly dependent on the degree of inflammation/perforation and the development of appendicular infiltration. However, diagnostic efficiency can be improved, and unnecessary surgery prevented, by performance of an appropriately selected combination of laboratory tests combined with evaluation of clinical symptoms.     

Acute perforated appendicitis with leukopenic presentation

Most patients with appendicitis had elevated white blood cell count. It is rarely seen with leukopenic presentation in acute appendicitis. Physicians in the emergency department easily miss these cases that had normal white blood cell count and leukopenic presentation. We presented a case of a 38-year-old man who had right lower quadrant abdominal pain with fever. White blood cell count was only 1800/microL. Computed tomography showed thickening with fluid contained in the lumen of distended appendix, and emergent appendectomy was done. Accurate diagnosis of acute appendicitis is still based on the clinical history and physical examination adjuvant with imaging studies.     

Appendix vermiformis duplex – An unexpected surprise

Duplication of the vermiform appendix is extremely rare. It is found in only 1/25.000 patients (0.004%) operated on for acute appendicitis. A 60-year-old male patient was hospitalized for a peridiverticular sigmoid abscess without signs of a free abdominal perforation and an abscess cavity in the small pelvis. A Hartmann's resection and an appendectomy (the vermiform appendix was part of the abscess wall) were performed. The pathology report described an external appendicitis. After 3 months, the intestine was successfully reanastomosed. During mobilisation of the coecum, a second retrocoecal vermiform appendix was surprisingly found. Because of signs of a chronic appendicitis a second resection was performed. Although the diagnosis of an appendix duplex is a rarity, surgeons should be aware of the possibility, especially when clinical signs and symptoms point to appendicitis, although at laparotomy the appendix looks normal. A routine exploration for a second appendix is definitely not indicated because of the rarity and the increased complication rate.     

Laparoscopic appendectomies: Experience of a surgical unit

Appendicitis is one of the most common causes of acute abdomen in adults and appendectomy is the most common emergency abdominal procedure. Laparoscopic appendectomy has gained popularity only in recent years and the optimal approach for the treatment of acute appendicitis is still under debate. This retrospective study aimed at examining the current indications for laparoscopic appendectomy. 1024 patients undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy between February 1992 and December 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. 39.9% of patients (n=408) underwent emergency surgery. In 616 cases (60.1%) conservative management was performed in vain and these patients underwent an elective operation. In the 36 patients with an intraoperative normal appendix, other pathological findings were laparoscopically detected and treated. Conversion to an open procedure was required for 13 (1.3%) cases. The mean operative time was 38 min and the average length of postoperative hospitalization was 2.5 days. The overall morbidity rate was 2.6%. Laparoscopic appendectomy should be considered a procedure of choice for the treatment of non-complicated appendicitis. We stress the possibility to laparoscopically treat even complicated appendicitis in the surgical setting with substantial experience in minimally invasive surgery.     

Recurrent gastric adenocarcinoma presenting as acute appendicitis: a case report

We report a case of acute appendicitis due to recurrent metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma involving only appendix, without the evidence of abdominal carcinomatosis 2 years after initial diagnosis of the primary gastric lesion. This case, in contrast to other previously reported cases that carried a dismal prognosis, had survived without tumour recurrent for more than 1 year after appendectomy, while this report was made.     

急性阑尾炎16排螺旋CT低剂量腹部平扫并重建的CT征象及临床价值分析

目的:对急性阑尾炎16排螺旋CT低剂量腹部平扫并重建的CT征象及临床价值进行分析研究。材料与方法:随机抽取80例经手术病理证实的急性阑尾炎患者作为研究对象,所有患者均具有完整的CT检查资料,对其进行回顾性分析。结果:本组研究中CT诊断的符合率为95.0%;CT直接征象为管壁增厚,阑尾增粗,阑尾内结石,间接征象为阑尾周围脓肿,邻近回盲部肠壁增厚,阑尾浆膜面模糊及阑尾周围炎性改变。结论:16排螺旋CT低剂量腹部平扫及重建可清晰显示急性阑尾及其周围病灶,在临床诊断急性阑尾炎方面确诊率较高,其具有积极的应用价值。     

48例不典型急性阑尾炎的ct诊断价值

目的:探讨不典型急性阑尾炎的CT诊断价值.材料与方法:对48例不典型急性阑尾炎的病人行多层螺旋CT检查分析,并与手术病理对照.结果:48例不典型急性阑尾炎的病人CT征象有:45例阑尾显示异常.表现为阑尾局部肿胀,阑尾壁增粗,增粗阑尾管腔呈实性状.肿胀阑尾境界不清,伴有回盲部的炎性渗出,有的伴有阑尾壁为不同密度分层的同心圆改变,回盲部软组织肿,呈斑点状或条纹状密度增高改变.螺旋CT对不典型急性阑尾炎诊断准确率为93.75％.结论:螺旋CT检查是目前诊断不典型急性阑尾炎的较佳方法.     

Anatomic basis for delayed diagnosis of appendicitis

Gangrene or perforation of the appendix is often caused by failure to make an early diagnosis of appendicitis. Variability in the anatomic location of the appendix can be responsible for atypical manifestations of appendicitis and diagnostic errors. Over a 52-month period, 125 appendectomies were done for suspected appendicitis at a military hospital. After excluding cases in which the location of the appendix was not provided, 106 cases were available for review. Fifteen patients (14%) did not have appendicitis. The appendix was found in the true pelvis, was behind the ileum or ileocolic mesentery, or was both retrocolic and retroperitoneal in 11 of 16 patients (69%) with gangrenous or perforative appendicitis. In contrast, the appendix was in one of these three sites in only four of 75 patients (5%) with simple appendicitis (P less than .001). Both physicians and patients were responsible for diagnostic delays, but the paucity of symptoms and signs in patients with a "hidden" appendix was the most likely cause of failure to diagnose appendicitis before perforation.     

超声检查对不同病理类型阑尾炎的诊断价值

目的探讨超声检查对不同病理类型阑尾炎的诊断价值。 方法分析2012年6月至2013年12月中山大学附属第六医院经手术病理证实为阑尾炎且术前行超声检查的111例患者的超声表现。其中急性单纯性阑尾炎6例,急性化脓性阑尾炎45例,急性坏疽性阑尾炎15,慢性阑尾炎33例,慢性阑尾炎急性发作12例。采用Kruskal-Wallis检验比较不同病理类型阑尾炎患者术前超声测量的阑尾长度、宽度、管壁厚度,进一步组间两两比较采用Kruskal-Wallis检验;采用Fisher确切概率法比较不同病理类型阑尾炎患者超声表现差异,进一步组间两两比较采用Fisher确切概率法。 结果111例手术病理证实为阑尾炎的患者中,90例患者术前超声检查提示阑尾炎,超声诊断准确率为81.08%（90/111）。急性单纯性阑尾炎、急性化脓性阑尾炎、急性坏疽性阑尾炎、慢性阑尾炎、慢性阑尾炎急性发作患者术前超声诊断准确率分别为83.33%（5/6）、91.11%（41/45）、93.33%（14/15）、60.61%（20/33）、83.33%（10/12）。不同病理类型阑尾炎患者术前超声测量的阑尾长度差异无统计学意义,但急性坏疽性阑尾炎患者术前超声测量的阑尾宽度均大于急性单纯性阑尾炎、慢性阑尾炎患者,且差异均有统计学意义[（13.79 ± 4.48） mm vs（7.60 ± 1.52） mm,χ²=4.211,P=0.024;（13.79 ± 4.48） mm vs（9.35 ± 5.01） mm,χ²=4.071,P=0.033];急性化脓性阑尾炎、急性坏疽性阑尾炎患者管壁厚度均大于慢性阑尾炎患者,且差异均有统计学意义[（4.39 ± 1.42） mm vs（3.37 ± 0.93） mm,χ²=3.931,P=0.043;（4.81 ± 1.57） mm vs（3.37 ± 0.93） mm,χ²=4.274,P=0.021]。不同病理类型阑尾炎患者的超声表现在管腔内粪石、淋巴结肿大和合并包块方面差异均无统计学意义。在管壁层次不清及管腔扩张两方面,急性化脓性阑尾炎、急性坏疽性阑尾炎与慢性阑尾炎患者的超声表现差异均有统计学意义[管壁层次不清：91.11%（41/45） vs 54.55%（18/33）,P=0.003;93.33%（14/15） vs 54.55%（18/33）,P=0.045。管腔扩张：64.44%（29/45） vs 27.27%（9/33）,P=0.007;80.00%（12/15） vs 27.27%（9/33）,P=0.007];在合并阑尾区积液方面,急性坏疽性阑尾炎与慢性阑尾炎患者的超声表现差异有统计学意义[53.33%（8/15）vs 6.06%（2/33）,P=0.006]。 结论超声检查对阑尾炎尤其是急性化脓性和急性坏疽性阑尾炎有较高的诊断价值。超声测量阑尾宽度、管壁厚度及对管壁层次、管腔扩张程度及阑尾区有无积液等特征的观察对鉴别诊断慢性阑尾炎与急性化脓性阑尾炎、急性坏疽性阑尾炎有一定的价值;阑尾宽度对鉴别诊断急性坏疽性阑尾炎与急性单纯性阑尾炎有意义。超声检查对鉴别诊断急性化脓性与急性坏疽性阑尾炎、急性单纯性阑尾炎与慢性阑尾炎及慢性阑尾炎急性发作的价值有限。     

Receiver operating characteristic analysis of leukocyte counts in operations for suspected appendicitis

Study Objective

There has been no clear-cut value of the white blood cell (WBC) count in differential diagnosis of acute appendicitis in emergency medicine. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the preoperative WBC counts in 3 groups of patients operated on for a clinical suspicion of acute appendicitis with different findings at appendectomy: uninflamed appendix, uncomplicated acute appendicitis, or complicated acute appendicitis.

Methods

The medical records of 540 patients who underwent appendectomy for suspected acute appendicitis during a 17-month period were retrospectively reviewed. Data for 3 groups of patients were analyzed to calculate the sensitivity and specificity of the WBC count in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, and we calculated likelihood ratios for 2 cut-points with either high sensitivity or high specificity. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to evaluate the WBC count in relation to the true diagnosis and severity of acute appendicitis.

Results

We were able to identify patients with appendicitis on a statistically significant level using receiver operating characteristic curves of WBC counts (area under the curve = 0.756, P < .001), but the WBC count had no diagnostic value in differentiating between uncomplicated and complicated groups (area under the curve =0.55, P = .086). Likelihood ratio ranged from 1.79 (95% confidence interval, 1.17-2.3) for WBC count of more than 10 500 cells/mm³ to 3.20 (95% confidence interval, 2.72-3.24) for WBC count of more than 14 300 cells/mm³.

Conclusion

White blood cell count is helpful in the diagnosis and exclusion of appendicitis. However, there is no value to differentiate advanced appendicitis.     

急性阑尾炎超声影像分析

目的结合阑尾炎的病理分型,分析急性阑尾炎声像图特征以提高其诊断准确率。方法应用凸阵、线阵探头分析41例阑尾炎患者的临床资料,总结不同病理分型的声像图表现。结果 41例患者超声发现病变阑尾40例,其中单纯性阑尾炎17例,化脓性阑尾炎15例,坏疽性阑尾炎8例,手术证实坏疽性阑尾炎1例;超声显示阑尾长轴呈肿大盲管样结构、短轴呈靶环征,壁增厚,无蠕动,管腔压闭性消失及穿孔阑尾管壁回声中断等自身变化继发改变。"超声麦氏征"阳性率100%。结论超声可清晰显示盲肠壁、阑尾孔及阑尾盲端,其典型的声像图特征有助于准确诊断急性阑尾炎。     

Sonography of acute appendicitis in pregnancy

Background: Clinical evaluation of acute appendicitis is difficult in pregnant patients. Delay in diagnosis is associated with increased fetal mortality. The purpose of our study was to assess the value of sonography in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in pregnant women. Methods: We obtained sonograms in 22 pregnant women suspected of acute appendicitis. All sonograms were performed using graded-compression to detect an enlarged appendix. The sonographic criteria for acute appendicitis were detection of a noncompressible blindended and tubular multilayered structure of maximal diameter greater than 6 mm. Results: The sonographic findings were correlated with surgical findings in seven cases and clinical follow-up in 15 cases. Acute appendicitis was diagnosed by sonography in three of 22 patients, and in all but one was confirmed by surgical and pathologic findings. In the remaining 19 patients, 15 improved on clinical follow-up; three were shown to have a normal appendix at surgery and one had focal acute inflammation at the tip of the appendix. Conclusions: Our experience suggests that graded-compression sonography is a useful procedure in pregnant patients suspected of acute appendicitis and has a similar accuracy as in nonpregnant women, especially in the first and second trimester.     

Sonography and computed tomography of the mimics of appendicitis

There are numerous entities that can mimic acute appendicitis. Ultrasound and computed tomography are the most common first-line, cross-sectional imaging modalities in the acute care setting. Ideally, imaging will either confirm appendicitis or exclude it by identifying a normal appendix. In the latter scenario, an alternate diagnosis can frequently be established that range from genitourinary, gastrointestinal, to even abdominal wall processes. Imaging is especially helpful in cases of patients presenting with atypical signs/symptoms for acute appendicitis and those presenting with a classic presentation where an alternative diagnosis is determined. The correct diagnosis will allow the most appropriate clinical management and therapy; specifically, avoiding nonindicated surgery is essential. Common and uncommon mimics of acute appendicitis are discussed with specific attention to their sonographic and computed tomographic appearances.