Acute Appendicitis Following Colonoscopy: An Uncommon Complication November 3, 2026 Annals Of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases Share Summary Takeaways Insight Report Clinical Scorecard Quiz Poll 1 A 75-year-old man developed acute appendicitis the day after screening colonoscopy with extensive lavage and cold-snare removal of 2 cecal adenomas. 2 The appendiceal orifice appeared normal during colonoscopy, and neither polyp was near it. 3 Computed tomography showed appendiceal dilation and adjacent edema without perforation; appendectomy pathology confirmed acute inflammation. 4 Approximately 70 cases of appendicitis after colonoscopy have been reported, and symptoms usually begin within several days. 5 Proposed mechanisms include insufflation-related pressure or barotrauma and retained bowel contents entering or obstructing the appendix.
