CHRONIC APPENDICITIS AS AN UNDERLYING CAUSE OF CHRONIC RECURRENT ABDOMINAL PAIN IN CHILDREN

3120 patients with recurrent paroxysmal abdominal pain were registered in the clinic in the past 3 years. 138 patients aged 7–15 didn't reveal any pathologic changes in the abdominal and pelvic cavities. Clinically, all patients demonstrated paroxysmal attacks of local abdominal pain lasting for a time between 6 months and 4 years. Clinical examination and ultrasound scans gave evidence to link the abdominal pain (syndrome) with changes in appendix as the only cause of it. All 138 patients underwent laparoscopy with total abdominal and pelvic cavities revision. No other pathology but significant macroscopic changes of appendix has been found in all cases, so it has been appraised as a macroscopic sign of chronic inflammation. Morphologic studies of excised appendices has demonstrated the signs of chronic inflammation in all cases.Key words: chronic appendicitis, recurrent paroxysmal abdominal pain, ultrasound scan, laparoscopy, chronic inflammation