title: Clinical implications of diverticular disease of the appendix. Experience over the past 10 years.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diverticular disease of the appendix is an uncommon condition, with an incidence from 0.004 to 2.1%. It usually occurs between the fourth or fifth decades of life, does not present gastrointestinal symptoms but only insidious abdominal pain. Patients usually delay consultation, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical features of diverticular disease of the appendix.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study of all patients undergoing appendectomy in a tertiary hospital between September 2003 and September 2013 was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During this period, 7,044 appendectomies were performed, and 42 cases of diverticular disease of the appendix were found, which represents an incidence of 0.59%. A total of 27 patients were male. The mean age was 46.6±21 years. The average hospital stay was 4.5 days. A perforated appendix was identified in 46% of patients. In 80% of the cases, a complementary imaging test was performed. The incidence of neoplastic disease with diverticulum of the appendix was 7.1%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diverticular disease of the appendix is an incidental finding. In its acute phase, it presents as an acute appendicitis. The treatment of choice is appendectomy. It presents a higher risk of developing neoplastic disease of the appendix.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General «C» y Trasplante de Órganos Abdominales, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España. Electronic address: alejandro_mq@yahoo.es.
authors.forename: Alberto A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Marcacuzco
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General «C» y Trasplante de Órganos Abdominales, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manrique
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General «C» y Trasplante de Órganos Abdominales, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General «C» y Trasplante de Órganos Abdominales, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loinaz
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General «C» y Trasplante de Órganos Abdominales, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Iago
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Justo
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General «C» y Trasplante de Órganos Abdominales, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Caso
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General «C» y Trasplante de Órganos Abdominales, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cambra
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General «C» y Trasplante de Órganos Abdominales, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Naim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fakih
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General «C» y Trasplante de Órganos Abdominales, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanabria
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Cirugía General «C» y Trasplante de Órganos Abdominales, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, España.
authors.forename: Luis C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Jimenez-Romero
mesh_terms: D001062:Appendectomy; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D001065:Appendix / Q000601:surgery; D004240:Diverticulum / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Apendicitis aguda; Appendicitis; Appendicular diverticulum; Apéndice vermiforme; Diverticulitis; Divertículo apendicular; Vermiform appendix