# A Case Report of Acute Appendicitis and Intraperitoneal Abscess Causing Bowel Obstruction in the Setting of Ongoing Chemotherapy

## TL;DR

This case report describes a patient undergoing chemotherapy who developed a bowel obstruction caused by acute appendicitis and an abscess.

## Contribution

The report highlights the challenges of diagnosing and treating acute surgical conditions in patients receiving chemotherapy.

## Key findings

- A patient on chemotherapy for breast cancer developed mechanical bowel obstruction due to acute appendicitis.
- Immunosuppressive therapy complicates the recognition and treatment of acute surgical conditions.
- Early recognition is critical to reduce morbidity in such cases.

## Abstract

Appendicitis and acute bowel obstruction represent two common complaints encountered by the acute care surgeon that can be overlooked in the setting of immunosuppressive chemotherapy, increasing the difficulty involved in effective treatment and minimizing mortality and morbidity. We report an instance of mechanical bowel obstruction secondary to acute appendicitis in a patient on chemotherapeutics for non-metastatic breast cancer. Early recognition, as well as an understanding of the possible impact of chemotherapeutic toxicity on the gastrointestinal tract, are imperative for morbidity reduction.