Incidentally Diagnosed Colon Cancer by Ultrasound due to Acute Abdomen Caused by Primary Epiploic Appendagitis

Abstract

Acute abdomen is mainly caused by peptic ulcer perforation, cholecystitis, or appendicitis, diverticulitis. But recently epiploic appendagitis is increasing in incidence as a cause of acute abdomen due to the development of ultrasound and computed tomography. Epiploic appendagitis occurs primarily or secondarily. Primary epiploic appendagitis is a self-limiting disorder caused by an ischemic change of the appendage. It can mimic other causes of the acute abdomen such as appendicitis or diverticulitis. An adjacent colonic wall abnormality is nearly absent in primary epiploic appendagitis. Secondary epiploic appendagitis usually occurs due to inflammation of an adjacent organ due to appendicitis or diverticulitis. Secondary epiploic appendagitis caused by cancer is not reported yet. The authors report a case of a 64-year-old female patient who was incidentally diagnosed with colon cancer by ultrasound due to an acute abdomen caused by primary epiploic appendagitis.