Question

You are called to a residence for a​ 48-year-old male patient. He is lying in​ bed, groaning in pain and curled into a fetal position. His blood pressure is​ 88/50, pulse​ 136, and respiratory rate of 32. His wife states that he complained of lower right abdominal pain for several days that got progressively​ worse, until about an hour ago when it became suddenly unbearable. The wife states the husband had been refusing to see a​ doctor, but she finally called 911. You suspect appendicitis and are concerned about the subsequent onset​ of:

A. splenic rupture.
B. peritonitis.
C. pancreatitis.
D. renal colic.

Answer 1

The patient's symptoms are consistent with appendicitis, and the most likely subsequent complication is peritonitis.

Step-by-step explanation:

The symptoms described in the question are consistent with appendicitis. Appendicitis is characterized by the inflammation of the appendix, a small pouch connected to the large intestine. The lower right abdominal pain that started gradually and became suddenly unbearable, along with the patient's other symptoms such as the fetal position, elevated heart rate, and low blood pressure, indicate a possible diagnosis of appendicitis.

Out of the given options of subsequent complications, the most likely one is B. peritonitis. Peritonitis is a life-threatening condition that results from inflammation or infection of the peritoneum, the lining of the abdominal cavity. In severe cases of appendicitis, the appendix can rupture, causing the release of bacteria and fecal matter into the abdominal cavity, leading to peritonitis.