Intestinal obstruction caused by acute perforated appendicitis misdiagnosed as Hirschsprung’s disease in a 31-month-old boy

Abstract

Symptomatic abdominal distension in young children requires a differential diagnosis, such as overeating, constipation or surgical emergency. If the distension is associated with intestinal obstruction, clinicians should determine the cause, such as adhesion, hernia, tumor or inflammatory lesions. Herein, the author reports a case of intestinal obstruction caused by acute perforated appendicitis. A 31-month-old boy was referred with a 10-day history of abdominal distension and a presumptive diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease. He had undergone an unsuccessful enema. Initial plain radiography and computed tomography showed severely dilated bowel loops with the colon collapsed. During laparotomy, the perforated appendix was found attached to the retroperitoneum and mesentery, which resulted in ileal stenosis with ischemia. The author resected 10 cm of the ileum, and performed ileocecectomy. Postoperatively, the boy recovered uneventfully, except wound seroma. Due to the low incidence and vague symptoms, it is difficult to diagnose intestinal obstruction caused by appendicitis, particularly in young children. This case may serve as a reminder that acute perforated appendicitis can cause sudden onset of intestinal obstruction in young children without a history of surgery.