Vermiform appendix

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Description:

Attached to the cecum is a small, coiled tube of variable length called the appendix, or vermiform (because of its worm-like appearance) appendix. Its position can vary, but it typically sits inferior to the ileum and cecum within the mesentery of the ileum. It is a tubular organ whose lumen communicates with the cecum via a small orifice that is positioned below and posterior to the ileocecal opening. The appendix contains numerous patches of lymphoid tissue that tend to decrease with age.