Hemiplegia--an unusual complication of appendectomy. A case report

A 12-year-old boy developed complete right hemiplegia and 7th cranial nerve palsy 2 days after laparotomy for a perforated appendix. Full recovery took 2 months. Although it can be accepted that the hemiparesis was not caused by acute appendicitis it is postulated that this unusual association was due either to a septic embolus which lodged in the region of the internal capsule or to a minor cerebrovascular accident.