What is Appendicitis?
Appendicitis is a condition in which the appendix becomes inflamed, swollen or infected and filled with pus, causing pain in your lower right abdomen. The appendix is a finger-shaped pouch-like structure attached at the beginning of the large intestine. It is a small tube of tissue that projects from your colon on the lower right side of the abdomen. Although the exact role of the appendix in the body is not clear, studies suggest that it helps in maintaining abdominal immunity by fighting with infections. It is one of the most commonly performed surgical emergencies of the abdomen and as much as 10% of the population develops appendicitis at some point.
How does it form?
Appendicitis is a condition in which the appendix becomes inflamed, swollen or infected and filled with pus, causing pain in your lower right abdomen. The appendix is a finger-shaped pouch-like structure attached at the beginning of the large intestine.
It is a small tube of tissue that projects from your colon on the lower right side of the abdomen. Although the exact role of the appendix in the body is not clear, studies suggest that it helps in maintaining abdominal immunity by fighting with infections. It is one of the most commonly performed surgical emergencies of the abdomen and as much as 10% of the population develops appendicitis at some point.
Types of appendoctomy surgery
Acute Appendicitis
It develops very fast within a few days to hours, and requires prompt medical treatment or surgery.
Chronic Appendicitis
Here, the inflammation lasts for a long time. It is a rare condition.
Causes
- Abdominal injury or trauma.
- Blockage at the opening where the appendix connects to the intestines.
- Digestive tract infection.
- Inflammatory bowel disease.
- Growths inside the appendix.
Symptoms
- Stomach pain that usually start saround the naveland then moves to the lower right side of the abdomen.
- Loss of appetite
- Low fever,usually be low 100.3°F
- Nausea and sometimes vomiting
- Diarrheaor constipation
Diagnosis
In general, you might feel like you are having a stomach ache that is just a little worse than normal but appendicitis can progress quite fast. Within less than a day, your problems might get worse. You may feel even sicker as you will most likely suffer from high fever, followed by vomiting, and the pain may travel from around the belly button to the right side of your abdomen and then to the lower right side of the abdomen, making it unbearable.
Severity
Early appendicitis
It is in this stage that you are likely to feel the pain near your navel and it might feel like a cramp and you probably would not be able to pinpoint the affected area. This is usually the first sign of a possible inflammation in your appendix and you might also go through other symptoms like loss of appetite, followed by nausea and vomiting.
Doctors
Laparoscopic , GI & Colorectal
Dr. Ankur Patel
Treatment
A cut or incision will be made in the lower right part of your belly. Your abdominal muscles will be separated and the abdominal area will be opened. Your appendix will be tied off with stitches and removed.
FAQs
What is recovery time for appendectomy?
nce you've had an appendectomy, you will probably recover pretty quickly. It feels good to get a bad appendix out. Most patients leave the hospital 1 to 2 days after surgery. The good news is that you
Can an appendix grow back?
An appendectomy is done if you are diagnosed with appendicitis. Because you only have one appendix . it cannot grow back after being removed, you can only have an appendectomy once
