title: Clinical Images. An unusual case of appendicitis.
abstract: Situs inversus may be identified as an incidental finding when investigating abdominal pain in the acute emergency setting. We report a case of a 46-year-old man who presented with left-sided acute appendicitis on a background of situs inversus. The clinical presentation was left lower-quadrant pain. Clinically, the diagnosis of diverticulitis was made until review of plain-film imaging raised the possibility of situs inversus, and thus appendicitis. Cross-sectional imaging studies and laparoscopy confirmed the diagnosis of acute left-sided appendicitis. He underwent laparoscopic appendectomy with an uncomplicated postoperative course.
authors.affiliation: Medical Imaging Department, St Vincent's Hospital, PO Box 2900, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065, Australia. warrenperera@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Warren R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.forename: Oliver F
authors.initials: OF
authors.lastname: Hennessy
mesh_terms: D001062:Appendectomy / Q000379:methods; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012857:Situs Inversus