Long-term outcome of simple inversion of the appendix as an alternative to incidental appendectomy

BACKGROUND: Inversion of the appendix is an alternative to incid ental appendectom y to prevent future appendiciti s. This study investigated outcome and complications in a group of patients who underwent simp leinversion of the appendix .PATIENTS AND METHODS: Inversion of the appendix was perform ed in 41 patients, including 21 women(51%) and 20 men (49%) (mean age, 48.7 years; range, 12-85 years). A simp le inversion technique was used in65% of patient s. Twenty-nine patie nts had colonoscopy between 3 to 44 month s after surgery (mean, 8 months),none for the sake of the study.RESULTS: During the follow up, none of patients developed intussusception or rectal bleeding. Colonoscopydemonstrated an absent appendix in 9 patients (31%). In the remaining 20 pati ents (69%), the inverted appendixpersisted with no obvious change on visualiz ed mucosa.CONCLUSION: Neither intu ssuscepti on nor hemorrhage was observed after simp le inversion. In our view, persistenceof the appendix is a wel come event since the presence of the appendix may carry several benefits as itcontinu es to work as a specialized organ, exerting an important physiological role in faci lit ating forward passageof colon contents, providi ng antibacterial functions and possibly playin g a preventiv e role against developmentof co lon and other cancers.