Chronic appendicitis misdiagnosed as a periappendiceal orifice polyp: a case report

Unlike acute appendicitis, chronic appendicitis is characterized by nonspecific abdominal pain and intermittent course. This may lead to late diagnosis or misdiagnosis, with the possibility of serious complications.

A male patient of Arab origin aged 55 years had a 2-year history of recurrent episodes of mild pain in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen. The episodes were associated with nausea, chills, and abdominal bloating but no vomiting, rectal bleeding, or weight loss. On examination, the patient showed soft and lax abdomen with mild tenderness in the right lower quadrant, with no organomegaly or abdominal masses. Laboratory findings showed normal complete blood count and C-reactive protein. The patient underwent colonoscopy to rule out malignancy, which showed appendiceal orifice polyp that required resection. The computed tomography scan showed an enlarged appendix with multiple intraluminal dense appendicoliths. The largest stone at the appendiceal orifice measured 1.5 cm × 0.9 cm and was partially protruding within the cecal lumen. The diagnosis of chronic appendicitis was confirmed. The patient underwent appendectomy and was asymptomatic a few days after discharge.

We are reporting a patient with chronic appendicitis presented with multiple appendicoliths. The patient was initially misdiagnosed as periappendiceal orifice polyp. The current finding highlights the importance of imaging, especially computed tomography in confirming the diagnosis in patients with atypical appendicitis presentation.