2004 Volume 37 Issue 12 Pages 1920-1923
A 68-year-old man diagnosed with peritonitis due to perforated acute appendicitis underwent and appendectomy and drainage. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was primary moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma of the appendix. Abdominal CT showed 4 metastatic liver tumors in the right lobe. We followed the man up 3 month after appendectomy. Right hemicolectomy and right hepatic lobectomy were done. The pathological diagnosis was moderately differentiated metastatic adenocarcinoma of the liver and lymph nodes. The man was discharged on post 28 operative day, but died of the recurrence 20 months after the first operation. Primary adenocarcinoma of the appendix is rare, In addition to, as is hepatectomy for liver metastasis. Although the prognosis of primary appendiceal adenocarcinoma with liver metastasis is dismal, aggressive hepatectomy is indicated unless distant metastasis and peritoneal dissemination existed. Hepatectomy after the first operation should be done as soon as the patient's general condition allows.