Appendix carcinoid under the mask of acute appendicitis in children

Abstract

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of neuroendocrine tumors in children. As a rule, such tumors are asymptomatic, thus leading to the spread of atypical foci. Carcinoid neuroendocrine tumors of the gastrointestinal tract can be localized in any part, but the most common location is appendix. Neuroendocrine tumors of the appendix in children are often manifested with the clinical picture of acute appendicitis, which necessitates a special oncological vigilance in relation to malignant processes of the altered appendix.

The article describes three clinical cases of diagnosis, treatment, and catamnesis of appendix carcinoids identified during laparoscopic appendectomy and histological examination. All patients were urgently admitted for inpatient treatment at the Children's Republican Clinical Hospital of Saransk in 2021–2024 with clinical symptoms of acute abdominal pain. Due to timely diagnostics and treatment, laparoscopic appendectomy was a proper and sufficient approach in all cases for adequate recovery.

Thus, histological examination of an altered appendix is an extremely important diagnostic tool not only for the final verification of the diagnosis, but also for the exclusion of atypical changes. If there the morphological picture of carcinoid, additional diagnostic steps are needed to provide early diagnosis and timely treatment of metastatic areas.

Keywords

acute phlegmonous appendicitis / neuroendocrine tumor / appendix / laparoscopic appendectomy

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