Pathologic diagnoses of appendectomy specimens: a 10-year review.

Aims and objectives: Acute appendicitis is one of the most common indications for emergency surgery. A retrospective study was performed to see the pattern of histopathologic diagnoses in appendectomy specimens, their demographics, and the rate of negative appendectomy.Materials and methods: Records of resected appendices with a clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis submitted to histopathology department of University of Benin Teaching Hospital from January 2005 to December 2014 were reviewed.Results: Out of the 2187 appendices, Acute appendicitis (43.5%), Lymphoid hyperplasia(20.8%) and Peri-appendicitis (10.9%) were the most common findings. Chronic obliterative appendicitis was 1.1%; parasites were present in 0.5%; and carcinoid tumor in 0.1%. Peak age for acute appendicitis was the third decade in both sexes. Perforation rate was 1.4%. Negative appendectomy rate was 22.3%; it was higher in females than males.Conclusion: Histopathological examination of the appendix may reveal unsuspected and sometimes sinister pathology besides acute inflamation. The use of diagnostic laparoscopy before appendectomy may help reduce negative appendectomy rate, while maintaining a low perforation rate.KEY WORDS: Appendectomy, appendicitis, appendix, histopathology.