Appendicitis

Appendicitis

Appendix is a 3.5-inch-long tube of tissue that stretches out of the large intestine. When this appendix has an inflammation then it is called as Appendicitis. It calls for prompt medical attention as soon as it is detected. If ignored, an inflamed appendix can become life threatening as it can burst and spill infectious materials into the abdominal cavity. It can be caused by-

• A stomach infection that has reached the appendix
• Infection caused by the bacteria due to the hard stool that got stuck in the appendix

Symptoms

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fever
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Loss of appetite
• Worsening lower right side abdominal pain
• Painful sneezing or coughing
• Abdominal swelling
• Pain around navel

Cure

When an inflamed and swollen appendix is surgically removed, then the procedure is called as Appendectomy. Appendix requires immediate treatment as it can also become life-threatening- it occasionally bursts within a day of symptoms showcase.

The surgeons perform two kinds of surgeries for the same-

Open Appendectomy- The traditional way of removing the infected appendix from large intestine. After the incision is made, the infected appendix is located and then cut from the large intestine and removed from the body post which the incision is sewed with stitches.

Laparoscopic Appendectomy- A minimally invasive technique in which several small incisions are made in the abdomen through which the camera and other surgical instruments are inserted so that the surgeon can view the area on a computer screen. The doctor then performs the surgery based on the video. Laparoscopic Appendectomy has several benefits over open appendectomy as it helps in faster recovery and allows the patient to leave the hospital on the same day. Moreover, he can also resume his normal day-to-day activities in a very short time.