Episodic Abdominal Pain-An Unexpected Cause for a Common Clinical Problem
Tim William Böttger1,2, Matthias Turina3, Falko Ensle4
1Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. t.boettger@med.uni-frankfurt.de.
Abstract:
A previously healthy 55-year-old male patient presented repeatedly to the emergency department with severe episodic periumbilical abdominal pain. After an extensive diagnostic work-up and subsequent clinical deterioration, appendiceal diverticulitis was diagnosed. We identified a correlation of white blood cell counts and possibly faecal calprotectin with the clinical presentation. We suggest that appendiceal diverticulitis should be considered in middle-aged patients with recurrent episodes of abdominal pain that correlate with laboratory markers of inflammation.
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