Retained appendicolith after laparoscopic appendectomy: the need for systematic double ligature of the appendiceal base.
Appendicoliths are considered to be strong indicators of appendicitis and the complications of appendicitis. We report the case of a 29-year-old woman who underwent a laparoscopic appendectomy for appendicitis with an appendicolith. The appendix was divided with a single ligature at the appendiceal base, and an appendicolith escaped into the pelvis. Thereafter, the patient suffered recurrent pelvic abscess. The diagnosis of retained appendicolith was made by repeated CT scans that revealed a mobile spontaneous calcification within the abscess. This postoperative complication could have been avoided if a systematic division of the appendix had been performed between double ligatures.
Guillem
P
P
Department of General and Endocrine Surgery, Lille University Hospital, Rue Michel Polonovski, 59037 Lille Cedex, France. guillem.philippe@wanadoo.fr
Mulliez
E
E
Proye
C
C
Pattou
F
F
D018784:Abdominal Abscess / Q000209:etiology; D000038:Abscess / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000379:methods*; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D001065:Appendix; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D002429:Cecal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D005244:Fecal Impaction / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007813:Laparotomy; D008026:Ligation / Q000379:methods; D020347:Lithiasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D000292:Pelvic Inflammatory Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed