Prieto-Nieto, I; Perez-Robledo, JP; Hardisson, D; Rodriguez-Montes, JA; Larrauri-Martinez, J; Garcia-Sancho-Martin, L

Virgen de la Luz Hosp, Dept Gen & Digest Surg, Cuenca, Spain; Univ Autonoma Madrid, Hosp La Paz, Dept Gen & Digest Surg, Madrid, Spain; Univ Autonoma Madrid, Hosp La Paz, Dept Pathol, Madrid, Spain

Background: Crohn's disease confined to the vermiform. appendix is rare. In our study, the incidence was 0.2% of all patients diagnosed with Crohn's disease at La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain, in 20 years. Methods: Here we review the clinical records of 10 patients with isolated appendiceal Crohn's disease. Results: Preoperative diagnosis was acute appendicitis in all 10 cases, and all patients underwent appendectomy. Postoperative complications were limited to an enterocutaneous fistula in I patient. There was no evidence of recurrence during a mean follow-up period of 14.5 years (range 2 to 25 year). Conclusions: We conclude that Crohn's disease when confined to the appendix is less aggressive than in other sections of the intestine, with a low recurrence rate and incidence of postoperative fistula. (C) 2001 Excerpta Medica, Inc. All rights reserved.