Appendicitis
Appendix
The appendix sits at the junction of the small intestine and large intestine. It’s a thin tube about four inches long. Normally, the appendix sits in the lower right abdomen.
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition in which your appendix becomes inflamed and fills with pus. Your appendix is a finger-shaped pouch that projects out from your colon on the lower right side of your abdomen. This small structure has no known essential purpose, but that doesn’t mean it can’t cause problems.
Cause of Appendicitis
The exact cause of appendicitis is not known, but it may be food or faeces (poo) getting lodged in the appendix. Cause of appendicitis is a blockage in the lining of the appendix that results in infection. These bacteria multiply very fast, causing the appendix become inflamed, swollen and filled with pus and if treated on the right time the appendix can burst.
An obstruction:
Food waste or a hard piece of stool (fecal stone) can block the opening of the cavity that runs the length of your appendix.
An infection:
Appendicitis may also follow an infection, such as a gastrointestinal viral infection, or it may result from other types of inflammation.
In children, the cause of appendicitis can be different, as certain tissues in the appendix that are rich in immune system cells get swollen and can cause appendicitis.
Symptoms of Appendicitis
Sudden severe abdominal pain is the first symptom of appendicitis.
- Aching pain that begins around your navel and often shifts to your lower right abdomen.
- The Tenderness that occurs when you apply pressure to your lower right abdomen.
- Pain that worsens if you cough or walk
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Low-grade fever
- Constipation
- Inability to pass gas
- Diarrhoea
- Abdominal swelling
Symptoms of appendicitis in children:
Each child may experience different symptoms, following are the most common symptoms of appendicitis:
- Pain in the area around the bellybutton, and lower right side of the abdomen.
- Pain may be worse while moving, taking deep breath, being touched, coughing and sneezing.
- Pain can spread all over the abdomen if the appendix ruptures.
- Loss of Appetite, nausea and vomiting
- Fever and chills
- Diarrhoea and constipation.
Symptoms of appendicitis in older adults and during pregnancy:
There can be different symptoms of appendicitis in older adults and during pregnancy. The symptoms may include nausea, vomiting and fever. During the pregnancy, after the first trimester the pain may shift upward toward the upper right quadrant.
Treatments of Appendicitis
Laparotomy (Open Surgery)
It is the traditional type of surgery used for treating appendicitis. This procedure consists of the removal of the infected appendix through a single larger incision in the lower right area of the abdomen.
Laparoscopic Surgery
The surgeon inserts a very thin tube, or laparoscope, which has a tiny video camera and light, into the abdomen, through a hollow instrument known as a cannula. The camera projects a magnified image of the area onto a television monitor which helps guide the surgeons as they remove the appendix. Laparoscopic surgery also requires general anaesthesia and it can last up to two hours.
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