Acute buik bij cystische fibrose

A 44-year-old man with cystic fibrosis with an acute abdomen was hospitalized via the emergency care unit. Additional investigations revealed ileus of the small intestine and an enlarged appendix which suggested acute appendicitis. However, the clinical picture did not fit the diagnosis of appendicitis and therefore the patient was provisionally diagnosed as having a ‘distal intestinal obstruction syndrome’. The patient was conservatively treated on this basis and recovered, being discharged in good condition from hospital after four days. An enlarged appendix occurs frequently in patients with cystic fibrosis, so that the appearance of this part of the intestine contributes little to the diagnosis.

Conflict of interest: none declared. Financial support: none declared.