Acute abdomen due appendicitis with atypical presentation leading to shock in an obese patient and with chronic liver disease

Abstract

AIMS: To expose a case of acute abdomen due to appendicitis whose diagnosis was difficult and complicated because of the patient's profile and his comorbidities.
 
 CASE DESCRIPTION: Male patient, 52 years old, superobese, smoker and with chronic liver disease, complaining of acute abdominal pain in the right hypochondrium, vomiting and low diuresis. Initially with no signs of peritoneal irritation, the patient was medically managed, but presented worsening of clinical status, progressing to shock and cardiac arrest. The investigation by laparotomy found acute appendicitis, collateral circulation and liver cirrhosis.
 
 CONCLUSIONS: Acute abdomen has great impact on emergency care and, since it comprises several clinical situations, knowing and suspecting its main causes and its atypical presentations becomes essential, mainly in cases of difficult diagnosis.