Laparoscopic management for stump appendicitis: A case series with literature review

INTRODUCTION: Appendectomy is one of the most common emergency surgical operations. Stump appendicitis is a rare complication after appendectomy and is caused by acute inflammation of the remnant part of the appendix. Because of the low index of suspicion owing to a previous history of appendectomy, the diagnosis of stump appendicitis is often delayed. METHODS: Between January 2008 and December 2017, 6 patients were diagnosed with stump appendicitis with or without perforation at a single institution. They had undergone operative management with laparoscopic approach. The clinical data of these patients were retrospectively analyzed by reviewing the medical records and pathologic reports. RESULTS: Five patients were male, with a mean age of 42.4 years (range 11–77 years). The time interval after initial appendectomy ranged from 2 weeks to 30 years. Three patients underwent laparoscopic completion appendectomy, and the others underwent laparoscopic ileocecectomy. The mean hospital stay was 9 days (range 5–13 days). There were no cases of open conversion. CONCLUSIONS: Stump appendicitis is a rare complication after appendectomy. A laparoscopic procedure can be performed for management of stump appendicitis with or without perforation.