A 16-year-old boy presents with a 24-hour history of severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and low-grade fever. The pain is initially periumbilical in location but has migrated to the right lower quadrant of the abdomen, with maximal tenderness elicited at a site one-third of the way between the crest of the ileum and the umbilicus (McBurney point). The leukocyte count is 14,000/mm3, with 74% segmented neutrophils and 12% bands. Surgery is performed. Which of the following describes the expected findings at the affected site?
High-Yield Explanation
The clinical findings are typical of acute appendicitis, another example of severe acute inflammation. Because the danger of perforation is great, early appendectomy is the treatment of choice. Suppurative or purulent inflammation is characterized by:- Prominent areas of edema (Due to increased vascular permeability, congestion, and a purulent (pus-containing) exudate consisting of necrotic cells and large numbers of neutrophils) Congestion is prominent