IMPACT OF ENDEMICITY OF ASCARIASIS ON DIAGNOSIS OF ACUTE APPENDICITIS: Endemicity of Ascariasis

Naveed Ahmed; Mian Sarfraz Gul; Hafiz Khalid Pervaiz; Iftikhar Ahmed; Mujahid Zulfiqar Ali; Shafaqat Ali

doi:10.51253/pafmj.v71i5.5694

Authors

Naveed Ahmed Combined Military Hospital Quetta/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Mian Sarfraz Gul Muhammad College of Medicine, Peshawar Pakistan
Hafiz Khalid Pervaiz Combined Military Hospital Quetta/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Iftikhar Ahmed Pak Emirates Hospital /National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Rawalpindi Pakistan
Mujahid Zulfiqar Ali Combined Military Hospital Quetta/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan
Shafaqat Ali Pakistan Naval Ship Shifa Hospital, Karachi Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51253/pafmj.v71i5.5694

Keywords:

Appendicitis, Appendectomy, Infestation, Ascariasis

Abstract

Objective: To determine the impact of endemicity of ascariasis in the manifestation of acute appendicitis.

Study Design: Prospective observational study.

Place and Duration of Study: General Surgery Department, Combined Military Hospital Skardu, from May 2012 to Apr 2015.

Methodology: Patients presenting with symptoms of acute appendicitis were included in the study. Patients were diagnosed after taking detailed history, clinical examination and blood chemistry. All the patients underwent open appendectomy under general anesthesia. Per-operatively presence of worms was assessed in terminal ileum and after that in the lumen of the appendix initially by palpation and then by opening its lumen after it was removed. Histopathologic diagnosis could not be confirmed due to its non-availability as the surgeries were performed in a remote and resource constraint area of the country.

Results: A total of 224 patients were included in the study. Out of these, 143 (63.8%) were male and 81 (36.1%) female patients. The mean age of patients was 22 ± 6 years. Per-operatively, 21 (9.3%) patients had worms in both ileum and appendicular lumen while 22 (9.8%) patients had worms only in the terminal ileum and there were no worms seen in either ileum or appendix in 181 (80.8%) patients.

Conclusion: There is a relation of parasitic infestation especially Ascaris lumbricoides in the manifestation of acute appendicitis in endemic areas.