Relationship between the appendix and ulcerative colitis: A new discovery

The appendix was once considered to be vestigial and useless organ. However, in recent years, research has confirmed that the appendix is associated with human immune function and exerts an anti-inflammatory effect through regulating the gut microbiota. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic and nonspecific inflammatory bowel disease associated with genetics, the environment, immunity, and alterations in the gut microbiota. Multiple studies have shown that the appendix and UC are closely related. With the advent of ultraslim subscopes allowing direct visualization (cholangioscopes), innovative methods for endoscopic diagnosis and treatment of appendicitis with appendix preservation have been successfully implemented. This has not only shifted the traditional approach to diagnosing and treating appendicitis, but has also opened the way for new insights and discoveries in exploring the relationship between the appendix and UC.