A Case Report of Acute Appendicitis and Intraperitoneal Abscess Causing Bowel Obstruction in the Setting of Ongoing Chemotherapy

Appendicitis and acute bowel obstruction represent two common complaints encountered by the acute care surgeon that can be overlooked in the setting of immunosuppressive chemotherapy, increasing the difficulty involved in effective treatment and minimizing mortality and morbidity. We report an instance of mechanical bowel obstruction secondary to acute appendicitis in a patient on chemotherapeutics for non-metastatic breast cancer. Early recognition, as well as an understanding of the possible impact of chemotherapeutic toxicity on the gastrointestinal tract, are imperative for morbidity reduction.