title: Histopathological examination of appendicectomy specimens at a district hospital of Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Appendicectomy for acute appendicitis is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures. Acute appendicitis has remained a clinical entity and an ongoing diagnostic challenge. A retrospective study was performed to determine histological diagnosis, demographic data, the rate of perforated appendicitis and negative appendicectomies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Histopathological records of 480 resected appendices submitted to histopathology department at Arar Central Hospital in the Northern Border Province of Saudi Arabia over the period of 3 years from July 2011 to June 2014 were reviewed retrospectively, to determine acute appendicitis, complication (gangrene, perforation) rate, negative appendicectomy rate, histopathological diagnosis and unusual finding on histology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 480 specimens of appendix, appendicitis accounted for 466 (97.0%) with peak occurrence in the age group of 11 to 50 years in male and 11 to 40 years in female. Histopathological diagnosis include acute appendicitis 250 (52.0%), suppurative appendicitis 135 (28.0%) acute gangrenous appendicitis 60 (12.5%), perforated appendicitis 9 (2.0%), chronic appendicitis 12 (2.5%). Negative appendicectomy rate was 14 (3%) and two time more common in female with peak occurrence in the age group of 20-30 yrs. There was no unusual histological finding like carcinoid tumour of appendix.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study showed a high number of appendicitis in adolescents and young adults. Negative appendectomy was more common in females. The study support routine histological examination of all the appendicectomy specimens to avoid missing of any clinically important and treatable condition.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Mohammad Ayub Jat, FCPS. Assistant Professor of Surgery, College of Medicine, Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ayub
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Jat
authors.affiliation: Dr. Farhan Khashim Al-Swailmi, MD. Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology. Head of Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Farhan Khashim
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Al-Swailmi
authors.affiliation: Dr. Yasir Mehmood, FCPS. Assistant Professor of Surgery, College of Medicine, Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Yasir
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mehmood
authors.affiliation: Dr. Majid Alrowaili, MD. Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic, College of Medicine, Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alrowaili
authors.affiliation: Dr. Shehab Alanazi, Dean of Northern Border University, College of Medicine, Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Shehab
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alanazi
keywords: Appendicectomy; Appendicitis; Histopathology of appendix specimen