Post-appendectomy stump appendicitis case report

Introduction: Appendicitis is a very prevalent pathology and appendectomy is one of the most common procedures worldwide. The exact cause of appendicitis is not fully understood, however multifactorial associations have been associated. Stump appendicitis is the inflammation of the residual appendix, it is a rare complication, mimicking acute appendicitis and leading to delayed diagnosis and increased morbidity. We present a case of a patient who developed stump appendicitis after an open appendectomy.Case presentation: A 48-year-old male presented with 24-hour right iliac fossa pain, nausea, and distension, complicated by prior emergency left hemicolectomy with appendectomy for perforated sigmoid colon. Relevant history included left renal agenesis, multiple trauma sequelae and substance use disorder in remission. Examination revealed right lower quadrant tenderness, leucocytosis with neutrophilia, and elevated CRP - a typical clinic for appendicitis. CT confirmed a 20×22 mm inflamed appendiceal stump, subsequently resected via open surgery. Conclusion: Stump appendicitis, though rare, necessitates consideration in patients with right lower quadrant pain, even post-appendectomy. Prompt diagnosis and resection are optimizing outcomes.