Nonspecific Cecal Ulcer: An Obsolete Jargon

Nonspecific cecal ulcer (NSCU) is a rare entity described by Cruveilhier in 1832. NSCU has no specific presenting features and it can mimic a host of conditions like appendicitis, diverticulosis and colonic carcinoma. Earlier, this terminology was used to depict those ulcers where it was not possible to make the exact diagnosis. There are only a few cases where a specific preoperative diagnosis was made. The number of NSCUs being reported recently is less. This is due to the advent of newer diagnostic techniques to identify the etiology of these ulcers. Hence the term NSCU is no longer employed in current literature because a specific diagnosis is attained in most ulcers. Therefore the term NSCU is no longer valid and its use should be largely restricted to those cases where a specific diagnosis is not possible even after exhausting the currently available investigative techniques. This article provides an overview of this outdated term and outlines how to proceed when NSCU is encountered in clinical practice. ,