An Occlusive Form of Acute Gangrenous Appendicitis With Periappendicular Abscess in an Elderly Patient: A Case Report and Literature Review

Acute appendicitis represents one of the common causes of admission to the emergency department. In rare cases, patients with appendicitis can suffer complications such as intestinal obstruction. These particular cases of occlusive appendicitis with a periappendicular abscess usually occur in elderl...

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Published inCurēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 15; no. 3; p. e36213
Main Authors Najm, Alfred, Bejenaru, Irina M, Manolescu, Stefania L, Iliescu, Ramona, Cretoiu, Sanda Maria, Gaspar, Bogdan S
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Cureus Inc 16.03.2023
Cureus
Subjects
Abdomen
Abscesses
Antibiotics
Appendectomy
Appendicitis
Asthma
Case reports
Colon
Emergency medical care
Feces
Gangrene
General Surgery
Intestinal obstruction
Laboratories
Medical imaging
Mortality
Older people
Patients
Peritonitis
Vital signs
elderly patient
exploratory laparotomy
appendicectomy
computerized tomography
intestinal occlusion
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Summary:Acute appendicitis represents one of the common causes of admission to the emergency department. In rare cases, patients with appendicitis can suffer complications such as intestinal obstruction. These particular cases of occlusive appendicitis with a periappendicular abscess usually occur in elderly patients and can develop in an aggressive form, nonetheless with a favorable evolution. We present a case of an 80-year-old male patient, reporting symptoms similar to an occlusive digestive pathology: abdominal pain, intestinal transit disorders, and fecal vomiting. A computerized tomography scan suggested a mechanical bowel obstruction. The patient had an exploratory laparotomy indication to find the cause of the obstruction. The peritoneal cavity inspection revealed an occlusive form of acute gangrenous appendicitis with a periappendicular abscess. An appendectomy was performed. In conclusion, as surgeons, we must always take into consideration that acute appendicitis can represent a cause of intestinal obstruction, especially in elderly patients.
ISSN:2168-8184
2168-8184
DOI:10.7759/cureus.36213