Appendix to Anus Flashcards
Anatomy of the appendix
Midgut organ
Variable length 2-25cm
3 Taeniae coli coalesce to form a complete longitudinal muscle layer over appendix
Lined by colonic type columnar epithelium, neuroendocrine and mucin producing goblet cells
Blood supply from posterior caecal from ileocolic
Lymphatics to ileocolics
Appendicitis pathophysiology
Luminal obstruction
Increased intraluminal pressure from continued cellular mucus and bacterial gas production
Distension
Bacterial overgrowth
Venous stasis
Ischaemia
Perforation, either local or free
Bacteriology of appendicitis
Colonic flora- mixed anaerobic and anaerobic cultures
Aerobes
- E coli
- Enterococci
- pseudomonas
Anaerobes
- Bacteroides (fragilis)
- Bilophila wadsworthia
- peptostreptococci
List cystic lesions of the appendix
Non- Neoplastic
- Simple mucocoele (retention cyst)
Neoplastic
- Serrated Appendiceal polyps
- Low Grade Mucinous Neoplasms
- High Grade Mucinous Neoplasms
- Mucinous Adenocarcinoma
LAMN vs HAMN
Differentiated only by degree of dysplasia
HAMNs show high grade nuclear features: enlarged, pleomorphic, hyperchromatic. high mitotic activity
Neither invade the muscularis mucosa but both can have mucin forced into or through the wall or rupture the appendix and lead to PMP
LAMN staged as in situ disease
HAMN as invasive disease T1-T4
Appendiceal neuroendocrine neoplasms
Usually incidental/unexpected at appendicectomy
Most commonly submucosal in distal 3rd
Broadly grouped into
- Well differentiated (NETs)
- Divided into grades
- Low
- Intermediate
- High
- mutations in MEN1, DAXX and ATRX are entity defining
- Divided into grades
- Poorly differentiated
- Divided into
- small cell type
- large cell type
- TP53 or RB1
- Divided into
Major adverse prognostics
- Size >2cm
- Grade 3
List the primary appendiceal neoplasms
Epithelial derived
- LAMN
- HAMN
- Adenocarcinoma (mucinous, signet ring or intestinal)
- Goblet cell adenocarcinoma (mixed NET and adeno features- manage as adenoca)
Neuroendocrine derived
- NET (well vs poorly differentiated)
- MiNEN (mixed neuroendocrine-non neuroendrocrine) tumours (manage as poor diff. NET)
Borders of fore, mid and hindgut
Defined by vascular supply
Foregut
- Oesophagus to duodenal ampullla- Coeliac
Mid gut
- Ampulla to distal third of transverse colon- SMA
Hindgut
- Distal transverse to rectum- IMA
Colon lengths
Total colorectal length ~150cm
- Caecum 10cm
- Ascending 15cm
- Transverse 45cm
- Descending 25cm
- Sigmoid 40cm
- Rectum 15cm
Vertebral heights for the origins of the non paired visceral branches of the aorta
Coeliac T12
SMA L1
IMA L3
What is the arc of Riolan
Inconstant arterial communication between the proximal IMA and Proximal SMA
Flow may be in either direction
What is the relationship of the SMV to the SMA
The vein sits on the right of the artery and behind its arterial branches to the colon
What are the levels of the colonic lymph nodes
Epicolic- along bowel wall and in appendica epiploicae
Paracolic- Marginal artery
Intermediate- along main branches
Primary- SMA and IMA
Sympathetic supply of colon
T6-T12 preganganglionic sympathetics synapse in preaortic ganglia then travel with SMA branches to right and transverse colon
L1-L3 preganglionic sympathetics form preaortic ganglion above bifurcation then runs with IMA, lower fibers involved in inf. hypogastric plexus also
Parasympathetic supply of colon
Right (posterior) vagus supplies SMA distribution
Pelvic Splancnics S2,3,4 through inf hypogastric plexus to bowel to supply IMA distribution
Synapse at the organ
Primary energy source of the colonocyte
Short chain Fatty acids from bacterial fermentation of complex carbohydrate.
Butyrate is the most common
How much ileal effluent enters the caecum per 24 hours
1000-1500mL
How do antibiotics cause diarrhoea
Decreased colonic bacteria
Decreased fermentation
Decreased Butyrate production
Decreased active transport of sodium from lumen
What are the layers of the enteric nervous system
Subserosal, myenteric (Auerbach) plexuses
Submucusal (Meissner) plexuses
Mucosal plexuses
Normal bacteriology of the colon
Bacteroides most common (Anaerobe)
E. Coli most common aerobe
Pseudomonas
Enterococcus
Proteus
Klebsiella
Streptococci
What is used for bowel prep
- What are the benefits of this agent
Name some alternative agents
Polyethylene glycol and electrolyte solutions
- High molecular weight polymer and balanced electrolyte solution
- Isosmotic
- e.g Klean prep
- 4 sachets in 1L of water each
- Consume 250ml every 10 mins
- Does not injure the colonic mucosa
- Does not induce major fluid shifts (although this has been rarely reported anyway)
Alternatives
- All hyperosmotic
- Sodium picosulphate (picoprep)
- Sodium phosphate
- Magnesium citrate
Oral antibiotics for elective bowel surgery
Not used routinely in my institution but there is evidence from RCTs that shows reduced SSI rates and similar C. diff rates
Appropriate stoma siting
Consultation with stoma therapist is optimal
Away from creases
Visible
Easily accessible
Through Rectus
In a normal size patient usually below umbo and at the apex of the natural curvature if the abdomen
Delineate the Hinchey Classification
I- Localised pericolonic or mesenteric abscess
II- Pelvic walled off abscess
III- Purulent peritonitis
IV- Faeculent peritonitis















