title: Perforated sigmoid diverticulum mimicking acute appendicitis in a young patient: a case report.
abstract: Acute colonic diverticula are uncommon in patients <40 years of age, with an incidence between 2% and 10%. In such patients, the condition may be misdiagnosed in the acute setting, because it is often not considered and may be mistaken for acute appendicitis, particularly if there are predominantly right-sided signs. As a result, it may result in diagnostic delay and complications. We report a case of a young patient who presented with a perforated sigmoid diverticulum mimicking acute appendicitis, which was not diagnosed initially, and the resulting course of events.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, West Middlesex University Hospital, London, United Kingdom. sri04@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: Shyamala
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Srirangalingam
authors.forename: Rajesh K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Balasubramanian
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodway
authors.forename: Santhosh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Somasundaram
authors.forename: Rajiv
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vashisht
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004241:Diverticulum, Colon / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D012810:Sigmoid Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*