Study of the Distance between the Base of the Vermiform Appendix and the Ileocaecal Junction in Bangladeshi People of Different Age and Sex Groups.

The vermiform appendix is a narrow, muscular diverticulum of the cecum, exhibiting considerable variability in position, shape and size. It originates from the cecal fundus near the ileocecal valve at the convergence of the three taeniae coli, a key surgical landmark for identifying its base. This study aimed to determine the distance between the base of the vermiform appendix and the ileocecal junction in a Bangladeshi population across different age and sex groups. Specimens, including the vermiform appendix along with adjacent segments of the distal ileum, cecum and proximal ascending colon, were collected from medico-legal autopsies of individuals aged 5-75 years. The study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy, Mymensingh Medical College, Bangladesh, from October 2016 to March 2017. The samples were categorized into four age groups: Group A (Up to 20 years), Group B (21-40 years), Group C (41-60 years) and Group D (>60 years), with further subdivision by sex. The external distance was measured from the lower border of the terminal ileum at its junction with the cecum to the midpoint of the appendiceal base. The internal distance was recorded between the nearest edges of the ileocecal and appendicular orifices after opening the cecum. Measurements were taken using a point divider, which was then placed on a measuring scale graduated in centimeters. The maximum external distances recorded were 2.60 cm, 2.60 cm, 2.80 cm and 3.00 cm in Groups A-D, respectively, while the minimum values were 1.80 cm, 2.00 cm, 2.00 cm and 2.10 cm. Internal distances showed a similar increasing trend with age, with maximum values of 2.80 cm, 3.00 cm, 3.00 cm and 3.12 cm and minimum values of 2.00 cm, 2.00 cm, 2.00 cm and 2.20 cm across the groups. Although mean distances were higher in males, the differences between sexes were not statistically significant (p≥0.05). These findings provide population-specific anatomical data that may assist in preoperative planning and intraoperative orientation, potentially reducing operative time, minimizing iatrogenic injury and improving surgical outcomes in appendiceal and right iliac fossa procedures.