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Authors: Nawaf Abdullah Alghamdi , Ahmad Basehi , Mohammad Alnamshan , Fawaz Alzahrani , Abdullatif Almalki

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Abstract

Background: Appendicitis is a common, but perplexing medical mystery. It occurs unexpectedly and requires rapid medical intervention. Pediatric fishbone-induced appendicitis is a rare but serious condition that is often misdiagnosed because of its nonspecific symptoms. Fish bones are often observed in the gastrointestinal tract during the treatment of such patients. However, in rare cases, the fishbone enters the appendix and causes appendicitis. Case Report: We report the case of a 5-year-old boy who experienced appendicitis. The patient was admitted to the hospital with severe abdominal pain accompanied by fever, nausea, and vomiting. The pain was identified as fishbone-induced appendicitis. The patient underwent a successful laparoscopic appendectomy without signs of perforation. Conclusion: Identifying fishbone-induced appendicitis in pediatric patients can be challenging, as most parents fail to recall if their child consumed fish. This case underscores the need for detailed clinical assessment to uncover uncommon causes of appendicitis. Thorough examinations should be conducted to evaluate the possibility of intestinal perforation caused by foreign objects, such as fishbones, and educate parents to avoid serving fish with bones to their children.

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Keywords: Appendicitis, fishbone, laparoscopic appendectomy, intestinal perforation, children, pediatric

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