title: Acute appendicitis presenting with surgical emphysema and pneumomediastinum.
abstract: A case is reported of a young man presenting with abdominal pain and surgical emphysema of the neck. A chest x-ray revealed pneumomediastinum but other investigations excluded oesophageal rupture. He was found to have a complicated acute appendicitis. The history and likely causes of this unusual presentation of a common complaint are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Tyne and Wear, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McCahy
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Talbot
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rawlinson
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Higgs
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008478:Mediastinal Emphysema / Q000209:etiology*; D009333:Neck; D013352:Subcutaneous Emphysema / Q000209:etiology*