Acute Chylous Peritonitis Simulating Acute Appendicitis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Chylous effusions into pleural and peritoneal cavities are unusual, and are often a manifestation of an underlying disease process. A sudden outpouring of chyle into the peritoneal cavity may, on rare occasions, produce acute chylous peritonitis. Such patients usually present with features of acute abdomen, however, the diagnosis is rarely suspected preoperatively. Very few cases of acute chylous peritonitis have been described in the literature, and to the best of our knowledge, this is first of its kind in Saudi Arabia. Due to its rarity and presentation as compared to a common surgical emergency such as acute appendicitis, the clinical features and management of acute chylous peritonitis are discussed.