Histopathological Spectrum of Appendectomy Specimens: A Retrospective Study at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Background: Appendectomy is one of the most commonly performed emergency surgical procedures, and histopathological examination remains important for confirming acute appendicitis and detecting unexpected inflammatory, infectious, parasitic, and neoplastic lesions. This study aimed to evaluate the histopathological spectrum of appendectomy specimens received at a tertiary care hospital.
Methods: Demographic, clinical, and histopathological data were retrieved from pathology records. Specimens were routinely processed, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and categorized according to the final histopathological diagnosis. Associations between demographic variables and histopathological findings were assessed using appropriate statistical tests, with P < 0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 29.8 ± 15.2 years, with the highest proportion belonging to the 21–30-year age group (27.1%). Males constituted 55.7% of cases. Acute inflammatory lesions were identified in 106 specimens (75.7%), with acute suppurative appendicitis being the most frequent diagnosis (37.1%). Chronic/reactive lesions accounted for 12.9%, while 5.0% of specimens were histologically unremarkable.
Conclusion: Acute inflammatory lesions constituted the predominant histopathological finding in appendectomy specimens.