A Study to Correlate Different Anatomical Positions of Appendix with Clinical Findings and Intraoperative Findings

Abstract

Background and Objectives Acute appendicitis is a frequently challenging cause of acute abdominal pain due to the varying anatomical positions of the appendix, which can lead to diverse clinical symptoms. The aim of this study was to explore the correlation between the anatomical locations of the appendix and the associated clinical presentations. Additionally, the study sought to assess the frequency of different appendix positions in patients who underwent surgery for acute appendicitis. Methods This study was conducted at K.R. Hospital, Mysore, involving patients who were diagnosed with acute appendicitis and treated surgically in the Department of General Surgery. The study spanned 18 months, from January 2023, to June 2024, during which 100 cases were evaluated to examine the clinical features and anatomical positions of the appendix. Results The study revealed appendicitis predominantly affected individuals in their second decade of life, with a 60% incidence rate, and was more commonly seen in males (64%). Vomiting was reported in (54%) of the cases, and fever in (38%). Urinary symptoms were often linked to a pelvic appendix (16%), while bowel disturbances were predominantly associated with a pre ileal position (63%). Leukocytosis was observed in 60% of the cases, especially in those with a retro-caecal appendix. The retro-caecal position was identified as the most frequent anatomical location, found in 50% of the cases, followed by pelvic, para-caecal, post-ileal, and sub-caecal positions.