Kumaran C, Divya Lakshmi L
AIM AND OBJECTIVE: To investigate the extent of mast cell involvement in surgically resected appendices of both the normal and inflamed appendices. INTRODUCTION: Mast cells are known to be effector cells in various inflammatory and immune reactions. The number of mast cells in appendicitis and its association is unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and eight cases were studied with routine haematoxylin and eosin staining and a special stain toluidine blue. The number of mast cells was counted randomly in ten consecutive high power fields in all the sections with one percent toluidine blue and graded the mast cells count. RESULTS: Among one hundred and eight cases, the acute appendicitis were 60cases (55.5%), with higher mast cell count and chronic appendicitis were 46 cases (42.6%), with highest mast cell count and normal appendices were 2cases (1.9%), did not show any significant variation in mast cell count. CONCLUSION: We concluded that mast cell count was higher in acute appendicitis indicating immunological and non-immunological injury causing acute appendicitis. The mast cell count was highest in chronic appendicitis, indicating growth interaction between mast cells, nerves and fibroblasts.
