TY - JOUR
T1 - Extensive retroperitoneal and right thigh abscess in a patient with ruptured retrocecal appendicitis
T2 - An extremely fulminant form of a common disease
AU - Hsieh, Chi Hsun
AU - Wang, Yu Chun
AU - Yang, Horng Ren
AU - Chung, Ping Kuei
AU - Jeng, Long Bin
AU - Chen, Ray Jade
PY - 2006/1/21
Y1 - 2006/1/21
N2 - As a disease commonly encountered in daily practice, acute appendicitis is usually diagnosed and managed easily with a low mortality and morbidity rate. However, acute appendicitis may occasionally become extraordinarily complicated and life threatening. A 56-year-old man, healthy prior to this admission, was brought to the hospital due to spiking high fever, poor appetite, dysuria, progressive right flank and painful swelling of the thigh for 3 d. Significant inflammatory change of soft tissue was noted, involving the entire right trunk from the subcostal margin to the knee joint. Painful disability of the right lower extremity and apparent signs of peritonitis at the right lower abdomen were disclosed. Laboratory results revealed leukocytosis and an elevated C-reactive protein level. Abdominal CT revealed several communicated gas-containing abscesses at the right retroperitoneal region with mass effect, pushing the duodenum and the pancreatic head upward, compressing and encasing inferior vena cava, destroying psoas muscle and dissecting downward into the right thigh. Laparotomy and right thigh exploration were performed immediately and about 500 mL of frank pus was drained. A ruptured retrocecal appendix was the cause of the abscess. The patient fully recovered at the end of the third post-operation week. This case reminds us that acute appendicitis should be treated carefully on an emergency basis to avoid serious complications. CT scan is the diagnostic tool of choice, with rapid evaluation followed by adequate drainage as the key to the survival of the patient.
AB - As a disease commonly encountered in daily practice, acute appendicitis is usually diagnosed and managed easily with a low mortality and morbidity rate. However, acute appendicitis may occasionally become extraordinarily complicated and life threatening. A 56-year-old man, healthy prior to this admission, was brought to the hospital due to spiking high fever, poor appetite, dysuria, progressive right flank and painful swelling of the thigh for 3 d. Significant inflammatory change of soft tissue was noted, involving the entire right trunk from the subcostal margin to the knee joint. Painful disability of the right lower extremity and apparent signs of peritonitis at the right lower abdomen were disclosed. Laboratory results revealed leukocytosis and an elevated C-reactive protein level. Abdominal CT revealed several communicated gas-containing abscesses at the right retroperitoneal region with mass effect, pushing the duodenum and the pancreatic head upward, compressing and encasing inferior vena cava, destroying psoas muscle and dissecting downward into the right thigh. Laparotomy and right thigh exploration were performed immediately and about 500 mL of frank pus was drained. A ruptured retrocecal appendix was the cause of the abscess. The patient fully recovered at the end of the third post-operation week. This case reminds us that acute appendicitis should be treated carefully on an emergency basis to avoid serious complications. CT scan is the diagnostic tool of choice, with rapid evaluation followed by adequate drainage as the key to the survival of the patient.
KW - Acute appendicitis
KW - Complication
KW - Retrocecal appendicitis
KW - Retroperitoneal abscess
KW - Thigh abscess
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33644680925&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3748/wjg.v12.i3.496
DO - 10.3748/wjg.v12.i3.496
M3 - 文章
C2 - 16489659
AN - SCOPUS:33644680925
SN - 1007-9327
VL - 12
SP - 496
EP - 499
JO - World Journal of Gastroenterology
JF - World Journal of Gastroenterology
IS - 3
ER -