Right iliac fossa pain can often be misdiagnosed as something sinister or benevolent despite assistance with state of the art imaging techniques. This is particularly more challenging in the female gender whereby the error of managing a right iliac fossa pain may approach forty percent. A 66-year-old lady, ten years postmenopause, presented with a week history of progressively worsening right iliac fossa pain. Malignancy was suspected with a palpable abdominal mass. Computed tomography was suggestive of an abscess collection, but a needle aspirate produced brown faecal material suggestive of a diverticulitis. An exploratory appendisectomy revealed a non malignant appendicular abscess. In conclusion, when clinical and imaging assessments are inconclusive, an exploratory laparotomy for a surgical excision is warranted primarily if malignancy is suspected.
Abscess

Patient positioning is a vital in ensuring patient comfort, dignity and good access to the operative site. Accurate positioning helps in minimising the risk of injury to the patient. An in-house airbag made from recyclable medical supplies can be used to replace the conventional sandbag for head and neck surgeries. It involves the use of an empty irrigation bottle, a valve and suction tubing. Its shape and volume is readily adjustable by altering the volume of inflated air. Moreover, compressible air moulds the bag to the curvature of the patient’s external surface reducing the risk of pressure sores in prolonged surgery. Ultimately this serves as an innovative technique which is financially savvy with the use of recyclable items.
Surgical Instruments

Central Venous Line (CVL) catheter can easily dislodge. An improvised technique in three easily reproducible steps is described in detail. The placement of the cuff approximately 1cm from the exit wound with the placement of additional sutures at the neck area helps prevent its displacement.