Acute Chylous Peritonitis Due to Idiopathic Pancreatitis Mimicking Acute Appendicitis

The case report described a rare instance of acute chylous peritonitis in a 23-year-old man, initially misdiagnosed as acute appendicitis. During emergency laparoscopy, milky fluid was found in the peritoneal cavity, leading to a diagnosis of chylous peritonitis due to idiopathic pancreatitis. This condition, characterized by triglyceride-rich fluid accumulation from lymphatic disruption, had fewer than 100 documented cases. The patient was successfully treated with somatostatin analogue therapy and a fat-free diet, with no recurrence at 6 months and 1-year follow-up. The study highlighted the importance of recognizing this rare condition to prevent misdiagnosis and emphasized the benefits of diagnostic laparoscopy for its lower complication rate.