Painless Appendicitis: A Peculiar Surgical Case of Acute Granulomatous Appendicitis

Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies, typically presenting with right-sided abdominal pain, nausea, and anorexia. Painless appendicitis is very uncommon and poses a diagnostic challenge. This case report highlights an unusual presentation of painless granulomatous appendicitis. We present a female patient in her 20s with a history of erythema nodosum and systemic inflammatory symptoms who was incidentally diagnosed with acute retrocecal appendicitis on imaging. Despite radiological evidence, she denied abdominal pain or other classic symptoms. After a thorough rheumatologic evaluation, she underwent laparoscopic appendicectomy, which revealed a retrocecal, inflamed appendix. The histology report revealed granulomatous appendicitis, a condition likely linked to an underlying systemic inflammatory disorder such as sarcoidosis. Granulomatous appendicitis is a rare entity and, as it is associated with various conditions, further evaluation by the Rheumatology team is necessary. Painless appendicitis is uncommon but clinically important, and our case highlights the significance of maintaining a high suspicion index in atypical presentations to ensure timely diagnosis and management.