[Life-threatening postoperative rectal hemorrhage after appendectomy]

A case of life-threatening haemorrhage nine days after appendicectomy is described in a 51 year old previously healthy man. Coecotomy revealed a bleeding artery near the invaginated appendiceal stump. The bleeding artery was presumably an intramural branch to the appendix from the posterior coecal artery that had not been included in the primary appendiceal ligature. This artery was presumably electrocoagulated during the appendicectomy but bleeding ensued when the coagulated tissue sloughed.