Dropped appendicoliths, also called retained or slipped appendicoliths, are appendicoliths that have been inadvertently left inside the peritoneal cavity following appendicectomy.
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Clinical presentation
Patients may be asymptomatic in some cases. Other cases may present with infective symptoms due to abscess formation. The interval between surgery and presentation varies considerably from days to even years 1.
Pathology
Dropped appendicoliths may result from either a ruptured appendix or from being spilt during surgery.
Radiographic features
CT
Retained appendicoliths have the following appearances on CT 1:
- high density foci (the appendicolith) most commonly in the paracaecal region or Morison's pouch
- often associated abscess formation