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Query: UMLS:C0000737 (abdominal pain)
 31,184 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We report a case of a female patient with a picture of "atypical appendicitis," with 3 days of abdominal pain, localized to the right lower quadrant with no nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or anorexia. On examination she was febrile to 38.4 degrees C, had tenderness at McBurney's point, and a leukocyte count of 11,200. A computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan was obtained showing changes consistent with appendicitis. On laparoscopic exploration the patient was found to have cecal masses. Definitive surgical treatment was deferred until after adequate evaluation of the colon. Postoperative colonoscopy demonstrated cecal diverticulitis. Management of cecal diverticulitis found during laparotomy for presumed appendicitis has included right hemicolectomy, ileocolic resection or appendectomy, and conservative treatment with antibiotics. The laparoscopic approach in a patient with an equivocal history and physical examination allows for definitive workup of inflammatory cecal masses found during surgery for appendicitis.
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PMID:Cecal diverticulitis: a case report and review of the current literature. 1199 78

Rebound tenderness is a widely used examination technique for patients with suspected appendicitis, but it can be quite uncomfortable. An alternative test for peritonitis is termed the "pinch-an-inch" test. This report describes two patients who presented with mild abdominal pain who subsequently were found to have appendicitis. In both patients, classic peritoneal signs were absent, but the pinch-an-inch test was positive. The experienced physician's bedside clinical examination remains the most critical component for rapidly identifying peritonitis. Although rebound tenderness is a widely used examination, it is uncomfortable and may be inaccurate. To perform the pinch-an-inch test, a fold of abdominal skin over McBurney's point is grasped and elevated away from the peritoneum. The skin is allowed to recoil back briskly against the peritoneum. If the patient has increased pain when the skin fold strikes the peritoneum, the test is positive and peritonitis probably is present.
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PMID:Pinch-an-inch test for appendicitis. 1644 Sep 11

A 23-year-old Japanese man was admitted with a chief complaint of abdominal pain. He was previously healthy, and his past medical history was unremarkable. Local tenderness and rebound tenderness at McBurney's point were elicited. Abdominal roentgenography was non-diagnostic. Ultrasonography and computed tomography showed a tumor with a central core. Based on a diagnosis of appendicitis with omental inflammation or an omental tumor, laparotomy performed. Intraoperatively, no site of gastrointestinal perforation was detected; however, a 5-cm omental granuloma was identified that proved to have a fishbone nucleus on pathological examination. The postoperative course was uneventful, and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and barium enema were unremarkable. A large solitary omental pseudotumor is rare, and the clinical course in this case was atypical compared with the usual course of intestinal perforation by a foreign body and formation of an intra-abdominal granuloma.
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PMID:Pseudotumor of the omentum with a fishbone nucleus. 1737 61

In this article we provide an evidence-based review of appendicitis, which is one of the most challenging conditions to diagnose in patients presenting with abdominal pain. Almost all clinicians are faced with the diagnostic work-up of these patients, and missing the diagnosis can result in patient decompensation. We review the literature from the initial description of McBurney's point to the clinical presentation, as well as the most appropriate imaging testing. Additionally, we review the usefulness of specific diagnostic laboratory tests. The use of computed tomography scans has reduced negative appendectomy rates when combined with a physical examination, and assists in ruling out appendicitis. Computed tomography scans with no contrast or just rectal contrast are becoming the standard in many institutions. It is essential that when the diagnosis of abdominal pain of unclear etiology is suspected, the clinician's discussion with the patient is well documented on the patient's chart.
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PMID:Evidence-based appendicitis: the initial work-up. 2046 29

Endometriosis is prevalent among women of reproductive age, and is most commonly found in the gynecologic organs themselves and the surrounding pelvic peritoneum. Endometriosis of the appendix, however, is rare. Preoperative diagnosis is difficult and a definitive diagnosis is usually established following histopathological examination of the appendix. We report a case of endometriosis of the appendix in a 29-year-old woman who presented with right lower quadrant abdominal pain. Rebound tenderness was localized to McBurney's point. Her WBC count was 12,300/mm3 and her CRP was 6.497 mg/dl. Ultrasound and computed tomography detected a calcified region inside the cecum and slight thickening of the wall of the appendix. Based on these findings, the patient was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and underwent an appendectomy. The appendix appeared mildly congested, but the mucosa of the appendix was nearly normal and without macroscopic inflammation. Histopathological examination demonstrated ectopic endometrial glands and stroma in the muscularis. These stroma cells were positive for CD10 on immunohistochemical staining, establishing a diagnosis of endometriosis of the appendix. The patient had a good clinical course and no residual pain postoperatively.
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PMID:A case of endometriosis of the appendix. 2063 87

Charles McBurney published a treatise on appendicitis in 1891, in which he described the exact point on the abdomen at which tenderness was maximal in cases of acute appendicitis--the point now known as "McBurney's point." He also described his approach to both the diagnosis and management of appendicitis, which at the time consisted of careful observation, total disuse of the stomach, and early laparotomy. Since 1891, many advances in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis have been made. Emergency physicians evaluating patients with abdominal pain may rely on laboratory studies, particularly the white blood cell count, and abdominal imaging with either ultrasound or computed tomography in addition to the history and physical examination. Despite these advances, tenderness to palpation over McBurney's point remains a key finding on abdominal examination in the assessment of patients with abdominal pain.
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PMID:Charles McBurney: McBurney's point. 2198 26

Enterobius vermicularis is a parasite that inhabits the human digestive tract. We present two pediatric patients with symptoms mimicking acute appendicitis who were found to have E. vermicularis infection. The first case is a 5-year-old female who presented with flank and abdominal pain associated with low-grade fever and anorexia. She had localized tenderness in the right lower quadrant and a leukocytosis with left shift. Intraoperative findings included a normal-appearing appendix, but ex vivo examination revealed Enterobius vermicularis. The second case is a 7-year-old female who presented with periumbilical abdominal pain, anorexia, and emesis. She had tenderness at McBurney's point, and ultrasound revealed a small echogenic focus within the appendix. Intraoperatively, the distal tip of the appendix appeared inflamed. Again, ex vivo examination revealed E. vermicularis. Enterobius vermicularis infection of the appendix can present with a clinical picture similar to acute appendicitis. In at-risk populations, it should be included in the differential diagnosis for children with right lower quadrant abdominal pain. Complete therapy requires treatment with mebendazole.
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PMID:Manifestations of pediatric appendicopathia oxyurica. 2406 79

Metastatic tumors of the appendix are rare. Endometrial cancer tends to metastasize by directly invading neighboring structures; the lung, liver, bones, and brain are common sites of distant metastasis. Herein, we present a case of a solitary endometrial metastatic tumor in the appendiceal mucosa without serosal involvement that mimicked a primary adenocarcinoma of the appendix. The patient who had undergone a radical hysterectomy for an endometrioid adenocarcinoma 3 years earlier presented to the hospital with a history of persistent right-lower abdominal pain. Physical examination showed tension of the abdominal muscles, tenderness, and rebounding pain on the McBurney's point. Open appendectomy for suspected appendicitis revealed a perforation of the distal appendiceal tip. Opening of the surgical specimen showed a mass that was located in the mucosa of the appendix near the appendicular root and resembled a primary tumor of the appendix. Microscopically, the adenocarcinoma of the appendiceal mucosa showed a transitional relationship with the normal mucosa, involving the submucosa and muscle but not invading the serosa. Based on the patient's medical history and the results of immunohistochemical staining, we made a diagnosis of metastatic endometrioid adenocarcinoma. The gross anatomy and histologic features of solitary metastatic tumors can mimic those of primary tumors. A correct diagnosis should be made by combining the patient's medical history with morphologic and immunohistochemical test results.
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PMID:Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma With Solitary Metastasis to the Appendix, Mimicking Primary Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review. 2975 Jul 8