Chronic appendicitis: two case reports

J Med Case Rep. 2022 Feb 9;16(1):51. doi: 10.1186/s13256-022-03273-2.

Abstract

Background: Chronic appendicitis is a condition unfamiliar to many physicians and is often referred to as a controversial diagnosis. This can give rise to diagnostic delay.

Case presentation: We present two cases of chronic appendicitis: a Caucasian female aged 21 years and a Caucasian male aged 34 years. The patients had different clinical presentations, which led the initial investigations in very different directions-tropical infectious disease and possible malignancy, respectively. In both cases, radiological imaging was the key investigation leading to the final surprising diagnosis.

Conclusion: With these two case stories, we wish to draw attention to chronic appendicitis as a possible differential diagnosis in younger patients with chronic or recurrent abdominal pain, particularly if the pain is located in the lower abdomen and is accompanied by fever.

Keywords: Case report; Chronic appendicitis; Radiologic imaging; Recurrent abdominal pain.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Abdomen
  • Abdominal Pain / diagnosis
  • Abdominal Pain / etiology
  • Adult
  • Appendicitis* / diagnostic imaging
  • Appendicitis* / surgery
  • Chronic Disease
  • Delayed Diagnosis
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Young Adult