Anorexia in Surgery — Case | General Surgery | SMLE Q#12244
SMLE Question #12244
Surgery
General Surgery
Objective: OBJ-TRACH-EMERG-01
Last updated: February 2026
A 17-year-old previously healthy male has 12 hours of worsening abdominal pain that began periumbilically and migrated to the right lower quadrant, with anorexia and nausea. Examination shows right lower quadrant guarding and rebound tenderness at McBurney point. He undergoes urgent open exploration for presumed appendicitis. Intraoperatively, the appendix and cecum appear normal, but the terminal ileum is markedly edematous and inflamed with fibrinopurulent exudate; there is no gross perforation or abscess. What is the most appropriate next step in management?
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