title: A rare but distinctive cause of acute abdomen: appendiceal diverticulitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diverticulosis and diverticulitis of appendix vermiformis is a rare diagnosis. Clinical and laboratory examinations do not show a difference between a progressing diverticulitis and simplex appendicitis. But this entity has a higher mortality rate than common appendicitis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This case is presented to illustrate the point that preoperative simple diagnosis of acute appendicitis according to the clinical signs and physical examination may not only be insufficient, but could be fatal in certain circumstances, like appendiceal diverticulitis, if surgical intervention is delayed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here we present a female patient with a history of right lower abdominal pain and fever of 3 days duration. She was diagnosed with acute appendicitis according to the preoperative physical, laboratory, and imaging examinations. The appendiceal diverticulitis accompanying acute appendicitis was an intraoperative finding, which was proven by histopathologic examination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is not easy to document this entity preoperatively. When diagnosed either preoperatively by imaging studies or intraoperatively, the only choice is appendectomy to prevent its serious complications.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of General Surgery, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Teaching and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Duray
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Seker
authors.forename: Gaye
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seker
authors.forename: Sahin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kahramanca
authors.forename: Mujdat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gurler
authors.forename: Ata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Turker
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kulacoglu
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D004238:Diverticulitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035583:Rare Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome