A real ball ache: a case report of acute pancreatitis with an unusual sequelae of events

Acute pancreatitis may present with a myriad of clinical and radiological manifestations. Assessment of the severity and prognosis of the disease is often based on clinical features, laboratory analysis and computer tomography (CT) scans; however, the predictive value of CT is not 100% accurate. We report herein a case with an especially rare sequence of clinical events, manifesting as a septic fluid collection within the inguinal canal that was misdiagnosed as an inguinal hernia on CT imaging. The patient underwent surgical drainage and an orchidectomy to treat the infection. This case illustrates the complexity and severity of acute pancreatitis as well as the challenges in interpreting and relying on diagnostic radiological data.