Background: Ectopic pregnancy is infrequently encountered together with appendicitis. Since 1960, 21 such cases have been reported.
Case: A 32-year-old, Hispanic woman presented with signs and symptoms of an acute surgical abdomen. Preoperatively, the diagnoses of both ectopic pregnancy and acute appendicitis were entertained. On surgical exploration, a ruptured appendix and an unruptured left-sided ectopic pregnancy were found.
Conclusion: The possibility of multiple pathologic disorders should always be considered in a patient with an acute surgical abdomen, especially during pregnancy. Evidence exists of a possible association between ectopic pregnancy and appendicitis in terms of a common pathogenic mechanism.