You'll also have pain throughout your abdomen, but may not have the severe, localized pain of appendicitis. In addition, you may not be able to pass gas or have a bowel movement, and you may have a fever, thirst and a low urine output. Peritonitis is a medical emergency. If you or a family member develop signs of this abdominal infection, go to an emergency room immediately. Even with prompt treatment, peritonitis can be extremely serious.
Children are more likely to have a ruptured appendix than adults.
They don't always have typical symptoms of appendicitis, and parents may delay getting treatment. For that reason, it's best not to take abdominal pain lightly. The perforation may be as small as a walnut or as large as a grapefruit. But no matter what its size, it requires surgery before the abscess itself perforates, causing peritonitis. Your surgeon may perform traditional open surgery, using a single long abdominal incision.