title: An unusual complication of appendectomy.
abstract: Intraabdominal abscess formation is a well-recognized complication of perforated appendicitis. Extraabdominal complications, however, are rare. The authors present the case of an 8-year-old boy who had an acute painful right-sided scrotal mass 2 days after an operation for perforated appendicitis. During exploration, an abscess within a previously undiagnosed patent processus vaginalis was found and successfully managed by drainage. This case demonstrates that a persistent patent processus vaginalis may predispose to scrotal pathology secondary to intraabdominal sepsis and represents a unique complication of perforated appendicitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St Joseph's Health Centre, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sweeney
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000209:etiology*; D001062:Appendectomy; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D012611:Scrotum