Intussusception and acute appendicitis are two different causes of acute abdomen that potentially require surgery. The clinical presentation can be similar in both diagnoses with symptoms including abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. In addition to history and clinical examination, the similarity between them extended to include diagnostic imaging such as Computed Tomography (CT) scan as we report in our case. Unfortunately, a delay in diagnosing appendicitis or a misdiagnosis can lead to severe, life-threatening complications that include a burst appendix (perforation), abscess formation, peritonitis, sepsis, intra-abdominal adhesions, and bowel obstruction. In some tragic cases, delayed diagnosis of appendicitis can be fatal.
Herein, we report a case of a 50-year- old male who presented to our hospital with suspected intussusception, but it was later discovered that he had a perforated appendix and caecum, a rare complication of acute appendicitis.
Key words: perforated appendicitis, perforated cecum, intussusception
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