A CASE OF ACUTE APPENDICITIS PROBABLY CAUSED BY A FISH BONE

We report a rare case of acute appendicitis which was probably caused by a fish bone. The patient was a 21-year-old woman, who was examined at our hospital with the chief complaints of right lower abdominal pain and diarrhea. At the time of examination, localized pain, tenderness, and mild muscular defense were observed in the right lower abdomen. In the hematological examinations, the leukocyte count was 13900/μl and CRP level was 1.0mg/dl. As an abdominal CT demonstrated swelling of the appendix vermiformis and a linear high-density area, fecalith was suspected. Based on the above findings, an operation was performed with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was phlegmonous appendicitis, and a fish bone of 1cm in length was found in the excised appendix lumen. Appendicitis was thought to have developed from obliteration of the appendix lumen, which was caused by a fish bone, and accompanying bacterial infection and induction of inflammation.