Acute appendicitis after closed abdominal trauma: A case report

Abstract

We present the case of a 14-year-old female patient with no clinical history who was admitted due to an impact on the abdomen and pelvis with a soccer ball during a match and who developed acute post-traumatic appendicitis. Acute appendicitis is one of the most common causes of acute abdomen. The diagnosis is mainly clinical and based on definitive history; however, the images can be decisive for the diagnosis. The etiology of acute appendicitis is well-reported in the literature, with the traumatic mechanism being one of the etiologies described. Acute post-traumatic appendicitis is rare; a timely diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion, a careful history, and a physical examination. Imaging with ultrasound or computed tomography is recommended if there is a discrepancy between the medical history and physical examination.

Keywords

• Acute appendicitis
• Acute abdomen
• Blunt trauma