title: Intra-abdominal bleeding in appendicitis.
abstract: A 34-year-old woman, gravida 6 with 10 weeks of gestation was admitted because of abdominal pain and fainting. On physical examination she had hypotension, was pale with abdominal tenderness and guarding. Culdocentesis yielded unclotted blood. Immediate laparotomy was performed, because a diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy was made. About 2,500 ml of fresh blood was found in the abdominal cavity. Appendicular artery tear caused active arterial bleeding. The torn appendicular artery was observed to be the consequence of perforated appendicitis, which, in turn, was caused by a faecalith. Appendectomy was performed and she made a good recovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Samut Prakan Hospital, Thailand.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thongprayoon
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pasa-Arj
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous