What are potential complications of untreated appendicitis?

Choosing the option that states perforation, peritonitis, and sepsis correctly identifies the potential complications of untreated appendicitis. When appendicitis is ignored or untreated, inflammation can progress, leading to increased pressure within the appendix. This can ultimately result in the appendix bursting, known as perforation, which allows infectious materials to spill into the abdominal cavity.

The subsequent leakage can lead to peritonitis, which is the inflammation of the peritoneum, the lining of the abdominal cavity. This condition is serious and can cause severe abdominal pain, fever, and illness. Furthermore, the infection can enter the bloodstream, leading to sepsis, a life-threatening body response to infection that can result in organ failure and death if not treated promptly.

The other options do not relate directly to the complications arising specifically from untreated appendicitis. Diabetes and obesity are chronic conditions associated with metabolic dysfunction, while kidney stones and gallbladder issues arise from different pathological processes unrelated to appendicitis. Likewise, constipation and diarrhea stem from gastrointestinal disorders that are not specific complications of an untreated inflamed appendix. Thus, the complications highlighted in the correct answer focus on the life-threatening conditions that can occur due to the progression of an untreated appendicitis.