What is the importance of appendectomy in the natural history of IBD?

To discuss the role of the appendix and appendectomy in the setting of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) it is important to understand why this “vestigial” organ has taken on a more prominent role in Gastroenterology. This account describes features of the appendix and appendicitis and then how these may relate to the development and natural history of both ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD).