Acute appendicitis after blunt abdominal trauma

Abstract

Acute appendicitis is the most common acute surgical condition of the abdomen. The concept of lumen obstruction as the cause has been widely accepted in the pathogenesis of acute appendicitis. In the literature, we have found a few case reports and a retrospective clinical study related to abdominal trauma as a possible factor in etiology of acute appendicitis. Whether blunt abdominal trauma can be the inciting event leading to acute appendicitis or only is a coincidence is not clear. We represent a case of perforated acute appendicitis after blunt abdominal trauma. Although a causative relationship between trauma and appendicitis cannot be proved in our case, we suggest that appendicitis should be considered in the patients with blunt abdominal trauma for not only medical but also its potential legal implications.