Disease

Appendicitis

OVERVIEW | CAUSES | RISK FACTORS | SYMPTOMS | COMPLICATION | Diagnosis | TREATMENT | PREVENTION | REFERENCES

Appendicitis

Overview

Appendicitis happens when your appendix becomes inflamed. It can be acute or chronic.

If left untreated, appendicitis can cause your appendix to burst. This can cause bacteria to spill into your abdominal cavity, which can be serious and sometimes fatal.

Causes

In many cases, the exact cause of appendicitis is unknown.

Experts believe it develops when part of the appendix becomes obstructed, or blocked.

Many things can potentially block your appendix, including:

Buildup of hardened stool
Enlarged lymphoid follicles
Intestinal worms
Traumatic injury
Cancer of Appendix or Colon (hyperlink to cancer page of our website:https://obesitydoctor.in/treatments/Appendix-Cancer-Surgery).

When your appendix becomes blocked, bacteria can multiply inside it. This can lead to the formation of pus and swelling, which can cause painful pressure in your abdomen.

Other conditions can also cause abdominal pain.

Risk factors

Appendicitis can affect anyone. But some people may be more likely to develop this condition than others. For example, risk factors for appendicitis include:

Age: Appendicitis most often affects people between the ages of 15 and 30 years old.
Sex: Appendicitis is more common in males than females.
Family history: People who have a family history of appendicitis are at heightened risk of developing it.

Although more research is needed, low-fiber diets might also raise the risk of appendicitis.

Symptoms

If you have appendicitis, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

Pain in your upper abdomen or around your bellybutton
Pain in the lower right side of your abdomen
Loss of appetite
Indigestion
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Constipation
Abdominal swelling
Inability to pass gas
Low-grade fever

Appendicitis pain may start off as mild cramping. It often becomes more steady and severe over time. It may start in your upper abdomen or bellybutton area, before moving to the lower right quadrant of your abdomen.

If you’re constipated and you suspect that you may have appendicitis, avoid taking laxatives or using an enema. These treatments may cause your appendix to burst.

Contact your doctor if you have tenderness in the right side of your abdomen along with any of other symptoms of appendicitis. Appendicitis can quickly become a medical emergency. Get the information you need to recognize this serious condition.

Complications

Appendicular Abscess: Appendicitis can cause serious complications. For example, it may cause a pocket of pus known as an abscess to form in your appendix. This abscess may leak pus and bacteria into your abdominal cavity.
Appendicular Rupture: Appendicitis can also lead to a ruptured appendix. If your appendix ruptures, it can spill fecal matter and bacteria into your abdominal cavity.
Appendicular Peritonitis: If bacteria spill into your abdominal cavity, it can cause the lining of your abdominal cavity to become infected and inflamed. This is known as peritonitis, and it can be very serious, even fatal.
Appendicular Fistula: Bacterial infections can also affect other organs in your abdomen. For example, bacteria from a ruptured abscess or appendix may enter your bladder or colon or involve ovary and uterus. It may also travel through your bloodstream to other parts of your body.

To prevent or manage these complications, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics, surgery, or other treatments. In some cases, you might develop side effects or complications from treatment. However, the risks associated with antibiotics and surgery tend to be less serious than the potential complications of untreated appendicitis.

Diagnosis

To help diagnose appendicitis, your doctor will likely take a history of your signs and symptoms and examine your abdomen.

Tests and procedures used to diagnose appendicitis include:

Physical exam to assess your pain. Your doctor may apply gentle pressure on the painful area. When the pressure is suddenly released, appendicitis pain will often feel worse, signaling that the adjacent peritoneum is inflamed. Your doctor may also look for abdominal rigidity and a tendency for you to stiffen your abdominal muscles in response to pressure over the inflamed appendix (guarding). Your doctor may use a lubricated, gloved finger to examine your lower rectum (digital rectal exam). Women of childbearing age may be given a pelvic exam to check for possible gynecological problems that could be causing the pain.
Blood test. This allows your doctor to check for a high white blood cell count, which may indicate an infection.
Urine test. Your doctor may want you to have a urinalysis to make sure that a urinary tract infection or a kidney stone isn't causing your pain.
Imaging tests. Your doctor may also recommend an abdominal X-ray, an abdominal ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to help confirm appendicitis or find other causes for your pain.

Treatment

Appendicitis treatment usually involves surgery to remove the inflamed appendix. Before surgery you may be given a dose of antibiotics to treat infection.

Surgery to Remove the Appendix (Appendectomy)

Appendectomy can be performed as open surgery using one abdominal incision about 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) long (laparotomy). Or the surgery can be done through a few small abdominal incisions (laparoscopic surgery). During a laparoscopic appendectomy, the surgeon inserts special surgical tools and a video camera into your abdomen to remove your appendix.

In general, laparoscopic surgery allows you to recover faster and heal with less pain and scarring. It may be better for older adults and people with obesity.

But laparoscopic surgery isn't appropriate for everyone. If your appendix has ruptured and infection has spread beyond the appendix or you have an abscess, you may need an open appendectomy, which allows your surgeon to clean the abdominal cavity.

Expect to spend one or two days in the hospital after your appendectomy.