When two pathologies collide: a case report of acute appendicitis in a patient with an enlarged abdominal aortic aneurysm.

A 67-year-old male with a known 70 mm abdominal aortic aneurysm presented with signs of acute appendicitis, representing a rare coexistence of two pathologies.

• Patient age was 67 years old, male sex
• AAA diameter was 70 mm, described as 'enlarged'
• The patient had a known AAA prior to presentation with acute appendicitis
• The coexistence of acute appendicitis and AAA is described as rare

Conservative management of the acute appendicitis failed in this patient, necessitating surgical intervention.

• Initial conservative management was attempted but was unsuccessful
• The failure of conservative management led to the decision to proceed with open surgical intervention
• The presence of a large AAA complicated the therapeutic decision-making process

Open appendectomy via McBurney incision was performed successfully despite the presence of a large abdominal aortic aneurysm.

• The surgical approach chosen was open appendectomy rather than laparoscopic
• The McBurney incision was the specific surgical approach used
• The procedure was completed successfully without reported AAA-related complications
• The case highlights challenges of performing abdominal surgery in the presence of a large AAA

The coexistence of acute appendicitis and large AAA presents significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges requiring multidisciplinary management.

• Early multidisciplinary assessment is described as critical in such cases
• Cautious surgical planning is emphasized as essential when both pathologies coexist
• The diagnostic challenges arise from the overlapping clinical presentations of both conditions
• The case is reported as a rare clinical scenario warranting specific management considerations