Differential diagnosis of peptic ulcer and chronic appendicitis

Abstract

An attempt has been made to emphasize the important rôle played by chronic appendicitis in the causation of peptic ulcer symptoms. Often the removal of a chronically diseased appendix removes the cause of peptic irritation and such removal may actually prevent the formation of such an ulcer. The differential diagnosis of chronic appendicitis and peptic ulcer is of the utmost importance because of the possibility of avoiding prolonged medical treatment of the symptoms of peptic ulcer which are due to a chronically diseased appendix. There are sufficient objective criteria to make this differential diagnosis possible, if heeded.