Ingested foreign body mimicking acute appendicitis

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Case Reports

Background:

• Acute appendicitis affects 250,000 annually in the US, with a 7% lifetime risk.
• Clinical diagnosis alone has 70% accuracy due to numerous differential diagnoses.
• Computed tomography (CT) scans are standard due to high sensitivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an unusual case of foreign body perforation mimicking appendicitis.
• To emphasize the importance of clinical acumen in diagnosing appendicitis.

Main Methods:

• Case presentation of a 20-year-old male with right lower quadrant pain.
• Negative ultrasonography and CT scan.
• Exploratory laparoscopy revealing a perforated small intestine due to a foreign body.

Main Results:

• A metallic foreign body was identified as the cause of small intestine perforation.
• Appendicitis diagnosis was reconsidered due to negative imaging.

Conclusions:

• Foreign bodies can mimic appendicitis, necessitating a broad differential diagnosis.
• Clinical examination remains crucial, even with advanced imaging like CT scans.
• This case underscores the value of clinical judgment in complex diagnostic scenarios.