Acute Epiploic Appendicitis: A Diagnostic Dilemma
Onder Limon1, Neşe Çolak Oray2, Basak Bayram2, Ridvan Atilla2
1Erzincan Mengücek Gazi Education And Research Hospital, Department Of Emergency Medicine, Erzincan
2Dokuz Eylul University School Of Medicine, Department Of Emergency Medicine, İzmir
Keywords: Epiploic Appendicitis, Abdominal Computed Tomography, Abdominal Pain
Abstract
Primary epiploic appendicitis (EA), also called as appendicitis epiploica, is a rare condition, which is characterised by inflammation of subserosal colonic adipose tissue. Patients with this condition usually present with complaints of sudden onset focal abdominal pain. There is no specific symptom or patognomonic physical examination finding for this condition to differantiate from other acute abdominal pain etiologies. Patients are usually considered as having diverticulitis or appendicitis on initial evaluation. Use of contrast enhanced abdominal computed tomography in patients presenting with acute abdominal pain may reduce unnecessary surgery, hospitalization and health associated costs by establishing definite diagnosis including rare causes of acute abdomen.