Acute Appendicitis for a Patient with Situs Inversus

Abstract

Introduction: There was a considerable increase in scientific literature on acute appendicitis with situs inversus within the past few years in the field of surgical science. A comprehensive approach that includes advanced imaging techniques, like MRI and CT, may enhance diagnostic accuracy by providing a clearer depiction of anatomical variations [1]. The objective of this research was to analyse the perspectives of situs inversus implementation in acute appendicitis.

Methodology: For this study, we reviewed 50 articles in English published in the time frame 2010-2024 from the PubMed, Google Scholar & Crossref databases. The MESH terms used: “Acute Appendicitis” OR “Situs Inversus” AND ”Surgical” OR “Gut malrotation”

Results: The differential diagnosis can be largely implemented in acute appendicitis with situs inversus, starting from diverticulitis, left-sided ureteric colic, sigmoid volvulus, ectopic pregnancy and not the least – mesenteric ischemia. Given the diagnostic challenges, CT imaging plays a critical role in distinguishing these conditions and confirming this pathology. Numerous studies reported that laparoscopy can be extremely beneficial in both diagnosing and performing the definitive surgery, serving as an alternative to open laparotomy. The use of treatment after appendectomy contributes to reduced mortality in surgical theatre: proper fluid resuscitation, analgesia and intravenous antibiotics. Modern technologies such as sonography and CT of the abdomen are very crucial non-invasive modalities to diagnose the condition and to prevent complications.