Cecal diverticulitis that simulates appendicitis in a patient with acute surgical abdomen; case report
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55204/trc.v5i1.e462Keywords:
Acute abdomen, Cecal diverticulum, Diverticulitis, Cecum, AppendixAbstract
Introduction: diverticular disease of the colon causes numerous hospitalizations and high costs in medical care, with cecal diverticulitis being rare and confusing with various pathologies that affect the organs of the right lower quadrant, often diagnosed surgically.
Objective: To present a case of cecal diverticulitis that presented as an acute abdomen that simulated acute appendicitis.
Case presentation: male treated at a second level hospital in Esmeraldas, Ecuador, with acute inflammatory abdomen, initially suspected of appendicitis, in whom, during surgery, single cecal diverticulitis with ischemia and necrosis was diagnosed. Therefore, his medical history was analyzed to detail his evolution and treatment.
Conclusions: cecal diverticulitis, although less frequent than that of the sigmoid colon, is increasing among young people, associated with risk factors such as obesity and smoking. Symptoms, such as right lower quadrant pain, can be confused with other conditions, requiring early diagnoses and an individualized clinical approach. Conservative treatment is effective in uncomplicated cases, while complicated cases usually require surgery. Complication rates are higher in older adults, underscoring the importance of timely management.
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