A case of appendicocele

Abstract

A 58-year-old woman with an unconfirmed diagnosis of uterine fibroids, and a past medical history of uterine polyps, two cesarean sections and a right inguinal herniorraphy presented to the emergency department with 1 month of sharp right lower quadrant pain that had become debilitating 24 h prior to presentation. She also complained of vaginal discharge and bleeding while denying nausea, vomiting and fever. Physical examination revealed a mass in the right inguinal area that was exquisitely tender to palpation and irreducible at the bedside. Her symptoms were exacerbated with a valsalva maneuver. Bowel sounds were present in all four quadrants. Laboratory findings were all within normal limits. She remained afebrile. The patient had an abdominal/ pelvic MRI earlier that day at an outlying facility ordered by her gynecologist. Unfortunately, the results were not available at the time the patient presented. On further consultation, recommendations were made for outpatient follow up. Given the patient's presentation, undifferentiated gynecologic pathology and history of multiple abdominal surgeries, further evaluation was warranted to solidify the diagnosis, and to confirm the need for surgical intervention for the most likely diagnosis of an incarcerated inguinal hernia. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen revealed a fibroid uterus, focal lesions in the urinary bladder and right indirect inguinal hernia containing the appendix with mild stranding and thickening of the hernia sac wall concerning for acute appendicitis (Figs. 1, 2 and 3). The appendix measured 7.0 cm in length and 0.7 cm in diameter on pathologic evaluation. DiscussionAn inguinal hernia containing a vermiform appendix is known as an appendicocele. Claudius Amyand is noted as the first surgeon to perform a successful appendectomy and herniorraphy in an appendicocele. In 1735, Amyand operated on an 11-year-old boy whose inguinal hernia encompassed an inflamed appendix [1]. Of all incarcerated hernias, it has been estimated that only 1 % contain a normal appendix, and most present as did our case with a strangulated right-sided inguinal hernia [1,2]. Even more rare is the presence of appendicitis within the hernia sac at 0.13 % [1]. Pain is often described as crampy, achy or burning with tenderness to palpation over the inguinal region [4]. Plain radiographs are of little help unlike ultrasound or CT scans that assist in the diagnosis [3]. In one report studying appendicoceles in adults, this rare condition was more common in men than women with a median age of 42 years [3]. The treatment of choice for appendicocele is appendectomy through a herniotomy incision followed by herniorraphy [4]. The use of prosthetic material is not advised with evidence of inflammation [3].Our patient, within 4 h of diagnosis, was treated preoperatively with intravenous antibiotics followed by open appendectomy and inguinal hernia repair, without the use of prosthetic material.