[An unusual presentation of a periappendicular infiltrate]

A 17-year-old boy presented with an atypical manifestation of acute appendicitis. The clinical aspect, radiological investigations and peroperative aspect of the appendix were not conclusive but nevertheless a neuroendocrine tumour (carcinoid tumour) of the appendix was suspected. After ileocaecal resection and resection of pathological lymph nodes, histopathological evaluation revealed the diagnosis: a periappendicular mass without any sign of malignancy. In retrospect, ileocaecal resection was performed for a benign disease. This case illustrates that an unusual presentation of a common disease occurs more frequently than a typical presentation of a rare disease.