A patient may develop appendicitis following blunt abdominal trauma. Cobb listed criteria for the diagnosis. The author is from Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre.
Patient selection: right lower quadrant pain/tenderness, nausea, anorexia, vomiting, fever, peritonitis
Criteria for post-traumatic appendicitis:
(1) no abdominal complaints prior to trauma
(2) direct trauma to the abdominal wall OR acute, unexpected, severe indirect trauma
(3) symptoms onset between 6 and 48 hours after the traumatic events
(4) persistent or progressive symptoms with surgical confirmation of appendicitis
Another criterion that could be added: (5) No other better explanation for the findings.
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Specialty: Gastroenterology, Emergency Medicine
