Recommended Citation
Macedo M, Kim B, Khoury R, and Narkiewicz L. A rare case of right lower quadrant abdominal pain. Am J Emerg Med 2016.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-1-2017
Publication Title
The American journal of emergency medicine
Abstract
Isolated fallopian tube torsion without involvement of the ovary is a rare condition most frequently presenting during reproductive years. Imaging, vitals, physical exam, and laboratory findings all fail to help establish a definitive diagnosis. The majority of the diagnoses are made on the operating table. Physical exam most often reveals unilateral and localized abdominal pain, often with nausea and vomiting, but few other reliably common findings. Diagnosis becomes even more challenging due to the fact that isolated tubal torsion occurs often in pregnancy and preferentially on the right, further complicating the clinical picture. We describe a case of isolated tubal torsion, unique in that localized necrosis and inflammation from the torsion triggered a secondary appendicitis. The patient required surgical intervention, and an appendectomy and salpingectomy emergently. Given its elusive and rare nature, awareness and early intervention is required by the emergency physician to recognize tubal torsion, as operative intervention is crucial, and can lead to preservation of fertility and improved fetal survival.
Medical Subject Headings
Adolescent; Appendectomy; Appendicitis; Fallopian Tube Diseases; Female; Humans; Laparoscopy; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Salpingectomy; Torsion Abnormality
PubMed ID
27842925
Volume
35
Issue
4
First Page
1
Last Page
668
