Postcolonoscopy appendicitis in a patient with active ulcerative colitis

Abstract

Complications due to diagnostic colonoscopy are uncommon and acute appendicitis is a very rare complication of colonoscopy. This poses a diagnostic challenge as the presentation of appendicitis is similar to that of other complications of colonoscopy such as perforation or postpolypectomy syndrome. It is hypothesized that postcolonoscopy appendicitis might be associated with obstruction of the appendiceal lumen with fecal matter during colonoscopy. None of the previous reports in the literature have described findings of appendicitis after colonoscopy in a patient with active ulcerative colitis. We present a case of a 28 year-old man with active ulcerative colitis who underwent colonoscopy and subsequently developed acute appendicitis.