Synchronous acute sub-serosal appendicitis and cholecystitis, in a patient with a long standing small bowel neuroendocrine tumor

Abstract

We report the case of a 62-year-old retired man with a long-standing small bowel neuroendocrine tumour. He presented with right-sided abdominal pain associated with nausea and vomiting. Radiographic imaging confirmed acute appendicitis and cholecystitis. We performed a synchronous laparoscopic appendectomy and cholecystectomy in the same setting. Histopathological examination of specimens confirmed the preoperative diagnoses in both organs. Our patient recovered uneventfully. The postoperative management plan focused on continuation of the follow-up for the small bowel neuroendocrine tumour. The synchronicity of both acute cholecystitis and appendicitis is extremely uncommon. We believe that our case report is the first of its kind with synchronous inflammation of the gallbladder and appendix in a patient with neuroendocrine tumour. In this report, we aim to provide insights on managing such a condition in the background of other intra-abdominal tumours.