Background: In cases of schistosomiasis, the appendix is commonly infested. It is not known if this is a predisposing factor for appendicitis, or a mere coincidental histological finding.
Patients and methods: A total of 56 patients (51 males and 5 females) underwent appendectomy for schistosomal appendicitis over a 10-year period at Dammam Central Hospital. The histological slides of 41 of the patients (73.2%) were retrospectively studied.
Results: The highest incidence of schistosomal appendicitis was recorded in the 21-40-year age group. Ova were seen in the submucosal layers of all the excised appendices. The most common tissue responses were submucosal fibrosis (92.7%) and eosinophilia (87.8%), followed by the presence of suppurative inflammation (80.5%). Granulomatous reaction was evident in only 13 cases (31.7%). A striking feature was atrophy of submucosal lymphoid follicles in 70.7% of the cases. Hyperplasia of lymphoid follicles and serosal granulomas were rare (2.4%). Similar tissue responses were histologically seen in four normal appendices examined.
Conclusion: Appendiceal infestation may predispose to appendicitis in the majority of affected cases, but in others, it may well be a mere coincidental histological finding. However, preoperative knowledge bears no clinical significance and does not alter management.