Granulomatous appendicitis: is it Crohn's disease? Report of a case and review of the literature.

Primary granulomatous inflammation of the appendix is a rare entity. When fungi, parasites, foreign bodies, and obstruction secondary to fecalith, mucocele, or tumor have been eliminated histologically as causes, fewer than 80 cases have been reported in the literature since 1932. Various diseases have also been suggested, including tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, Crohn's disease, and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. A case of primary granulomatous inflammation of the appendix is presented, and 61 cases reported in the literature since 1953 are reviewed. Patients presented with pain in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen frequently associated with a mass and a protracted preoperative course. Of the 61 patients, 31 were men, 24 were women, and the sex of six of the patients was not reported. The median age of patients was 21 yr. The majority (77%) underwent simple appendectomy. Of patients undergoing ileocolectomy, five of 14 (36%) had concurrent granulomatous ileal involvement. The majority of specimens exhibited appreciable transmural thickening with fibrosis, noncaseating granulomas, formation of Langhans giant cells, and mucosal ulceration. No operative deaths and no postoperative fecal fistulas occurred. In patients without concurrent or synchronous granulomatous disease elsewhere who were followed from 1 to 16.8 yr (mean 5.2 yr), the incidence of recurrence approximated 14%. Therefore, patients with granulomatous appendicitis appear to have a favorable prognosis but require careful long-term observation.