Morphological study of caecum and vermiform appendix in human adult cadavers

Caecum is the commencement of large intestine. It is located in the Right Iliac Fossa (RIF). The Vermiform Appendix (VA) is a narrow vermian tube arising from the posteromedial wall of the Caecum. Variations in the position of the Caecum and VA are very common and of interest to anatomists and clinicians. The inflammation of the VA (Appendicitis) one of the most common cause for acute abdominal pain. Carcinoma, carcinoid tumours and diverticulitis of the VA also need interventions. Tuberculosis and typus of the caecum may extend into the VA leading to perforation. The VA is with its pedicle or as free transplant in many reconstructive surgeries. Knowledge of about the Caecum and VA is important for abdominal surgeries. Present study was done to document and provide information of both normal and variant morphology of the Caecum and VA. 50 adult human cadavers from the Institute of Anatomy, Madras medical College were used for the study. In the present study it was found that the Caecum and VA found in the RIF in all the cases, the shape of the caecum was adult type in majority of the cases (84%) and breadth of the caecum (7.05 ± 0.90 cms) was more than its length (5.9 ± 0.99cms.). The VA was retrocaecal (62%) followed by pelvic (32%), post ileal (4%) and subcaecal (2%) positions. The mean length and the mean external diameter at the base of the VA was 7.5± 3.2cms and 7.2mms± 3.25mms, the distance between the appendicular and ileocaecal orifice was 2.36 ± 0.78 cms, the mesoappendix was complete in most of the cases (68%) and the VA was supplied by sinle appendicular artery (AA) in 92% of the cases and double AA was found in the 8% of the cases. The data obtained will be useful for anatomisits, interventionists, surgeons, plastic surgeons and radiologists.