Background: Gastrointestinal schistosomiasis may involve the appendix and there is nospecific clinical picture associated with the same.
Methods: The clinical records and histopathological slides of all patients diagnosed withschistosomal appendicitis between January 1989 and December 2006 in Ile-Ife, south westNigeria, were reviewed.
Result: Of 956 patients who had appendectomy at the Obafemi Awolowo University TeachingHospital within the study period, 22 (2.3%) had histopathological diagnosis of schistosomalappendicitis. Eighteen (81.8%) were male whilst 4 (18.2%) were female. Their ages rangedbetween 15 and 63 years with a mean of 28.2 (+5.6) years. The mean duration of right lowerquadrant abdominal pain was 4.2 years. Appendiceal and periappendiceal adhesions werenoted intraoperatively in 17 (77.3%) and the appendix was adjudged grossly inflamed in 9(40.9%) patients. Submucosal fibrosis and eosinophilia were the common histopathologicalfindings aside from submucosal oviposition. All patients received antischistosomal drugsand one patient developed adhesive intestinal obstruction 9 months after surgery.
Conclusion: Schistosomal appendicitis may present acutely but diagnosis is only reliablymade at histopathological examination. Adequate follow-up is however required to ascertainlong-term outcome