Acute Perforated Appendicitis Complicated by Necrotizing Fasciitis and Bladder Perforation

Acute uncomplicated appendicitis is a common surgical disease that has been well-studied, and its overall mortality has decreased over time. However, delay in treatment can be associated with rare complications such as necrotizing fasciitis, which carries a high mortality rate, and bladder perforation. We present such a case in an 81-year-old female with no significant surgical history who presented to the emergency department with four days of abdominal pain. A CT scan revealed extensive subcutaneous air in the abdominal wall, an inflamed appendix, and a periappendiceal abscess. During subsequent exploratory laparotomy, she was also found to have bladder perforation. She underwent debridement of necrotic tissue of the abdominal wall, appendectomy, drainage of periappendiceal abscess, and bladder perforation repair. She died of septic shock on post-operative day 19, due to gross spillage of urine into the abdomen and ongoing necrotizing fasciitis. Acute perforated appendicitis can lead to rare and fatal complications. Our case presents such a patient with a poor outcome. In approaching a patient with signs of peritonitis, differential diagnoses must remain broad to include late complications such as abscess formation, soft tissue infection, and perforation of surrounding structures.