Appendiceal disease in women with endometriosis and right lower quadrant pain

R. Harris, Harris RS, R S Harris, W G Foster, Warren G. Foster, Foster WG, Surrey MW, M W Surrey, M. Surrey, Sanjay K. Agarwal, S K Agarwal
The Journal of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists · 2001 · vol. 8(4) , pp. 536–541 · doi:10.1016/s1074-3804(05)60617-2 · PMID:11677333 · W2107455470
Other OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 25 in-corpus citations
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This paper investigated appendiceal disease in women presenting with right lower quadrant pain and endometriosis, examining the prevalence and characteristics of appendiceal pathologies in this specific patient group.

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Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the frequency and range of appendiceal disease in women with endometriosis and right lower quadrant (RLQ) pain, and to estimate the value of preoperative gastrograffin enema (GGE) as a screen for the disease. DESIGN: Nonrandomized clinical trial (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: University-affiliated hospital with a private practice setting. PATIENTS: A subpopulation of 65 women from a group of 337 patients undergoing laparoscopy for symptomatic endometriosis. INTERVENTION: Preoperative GGE was performed whenever possible in these women. At laparoscopy, the appendix was removed if it appeared abnormal or if the preoperative GGE was positive. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Of 65 women (19%) with symptomatic endometriosis and preoperative RLQ pain, 52 (80%) underwent appendectomy as part of surgery. Of these 52 excised appendixes, 39 (75%) had histologically confirmed pathology including appendicitis or periappendicitis, endometriosis, fibrous obliteration, lymphoid hyperplasia, and carcinoid tumor. Preoperative GGE had sensitivity of 74% and specificity of 83% for appendiceal disease. Its positive predictive value was 95% and negative predictive value was 42%. No complications from laparoscopic appendectomy occurred. CONCLUSION: Disease of the appendix is common in women with endometriosis and RLQ pain. Appendectomy is particularly likely if preoperative GGE is positive.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Abdominal Pain Appendicitis Endometriosis Abdominal Pain Abdominal Pain Abdominal Pain Abdominal Pain Adolescent Adolescent Adult Adult Appendicitis Appendicitis Appendicitis Appendicitis Biopsy, Needle Biopsy, Needle Cohort Studies Cohort Studies Comorbidity

Citation neighborhood (2-hop)

Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. Outer rings show 2-hop neighbours — papers reached through the immediate citers/citees. [ collapse to 1-hop ]

References (14)

Cited by (24)

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License: CC0 · commercial use OK