Complicated acute appendicitis? An unusual differential

Trop Doct. 2015 Jan;45(1):49-51. doi: 10.1177/0049475514550064. Epub 2014 Sep 24.

Abstract

Acute appendicitis is a common surgical diagnosis but several differential diagnoses exist and should be considered. Internal concealment is one such diagnosis. We present a case of a young man taken to the operating room with a preoperative diagnosis of complicated acute appendicitis. A ruptured caecum was encountered and several free-floating drug pellets were present. Attending doctors should consider this differential in the high prevalence areas and, whenever encountered, they should strongly consider early reporting.

Keywords: Appendicitis; complicated; drug; packer; surgery.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adult
  • Appendicitis / diagnosis
  • Cecal Diseases / chemically induced
  • Cecal Diseases / complications
  • Cecal Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Humans
  • Illicit Drugs / adverse effects
  • Intestinal Perforation / chemically induced
  • Intestinal Perforation / diagnosis*
  • Intestinal Perforation / surgery
  • Male

Substances

  • Illicit Drugs