A 21 y/o man presents to the ED with pain in right low quadrant (RLQ) , anorexia, nausea and vomiting. His abdomen is soft, with a mild tenderness in RLQ, the psoas sign is positive. The pain is aggravate by cough. You perform kindly a rectal examination with pain.

Are this signs useful for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis?

Conclusion

No clinical signs alone is able to rule in or out an acute appendicitis. Rectal examination, still diffused, is not of any utility.

May we need somwthing else?

Bibliography

Meta-analysis of the clinical and laboratory diagnosis of appendicitis
British Journal of Surgery 2004; 91: 28-37
R.E.B. Anderson