Acute appendicitis masquerading as acute scrotum: a case report

Acute appendicitis presents typically with periumbilical pain that in a few hours settles at the right lower quadrant of the abdomen. Atypical presentations are common but association with acute scrotum is an extreme rarity. A 30-year-old fisherman presented at a rural medical facility with a 2-day complaint of severe pain at the right hemiscrotum followed about 24 hours later with mild diffuse abdominal pain. There was associated mild fever and nausea but no vomiting. There were no urinary symptoms and no recent sexual exposure. Initial physical examination revealed mild generalized tenderness worse at the right lower quadrant but the scrotum was not remarkable, and cremasteric sign was negative. He was admitted as a case of acute abdomen for close observation. Abdominal and scrotal ultrasound scan were normal. By the second day of admission, pain became marked at the right lower abdomen with associated vomiting. There was also marked tenderness at the right lower quadrant with rebound. A diagnosis of acute appendicitis was thus made and appendicectomy done after proper workup. The abdominal and scrotal pain stopped after surgery and the patient was discharged on the seventh postoperative day. Patients with unusual abdominal and scrotal pain should be admitted and closely observed and evaluated to prevent unnecessary scrotal exploration or negative appendicectomy.