Abstract

Background: Stump appendicitis is not a common condition and the diagnosis is often delayed. In most cases, making a preoperative diagnosis is quite difficult except where adequate investigative facilities are available. The purpose of this case report is to present our experience with a case of stump appendicitis and to highlight the difficulties in making a preoperative diagnosis of stump appendicitis.
Case Report: The case file of a patient who had earlier had appendicectomy done by a general medical practitioner, but who now presented with features of recurrent right iliac fossa pain was reviewed. At operation, an inflamed appendix stump about 4 cm long was found. Patient had stump appendicectomy and had an uneventful post operative period.
Conclusions: Stump appendicitis is a rarely considered clinical condition. Adequate history and use of adequate investigative facilities should help in making a preoperative diagnosis. General medical practitioners should not carry out surgical procedures; instead, they should engage the services of a trained surgeon to carry out surgical procedures. This can go a long way in reducing the incidence of stump appendicitis.

Keywords: appendix stump, stump appendicitis, delayed diagnosis