Specialty >> Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a painful inflammation of the appendix, a small tube of tissue attached to the colon. Left untreated, an inflamed appendix will eventually burst, or perforate, spilling infectious materials into the abdominal cavity.
It starts with an intermittent pain in the middle of the stomach that develops quickly and travels to the lower right-hand side, where the appendix lies, becoming constant and severe.
It is a common condition accounting for around 40,000 hospital admissions a year and, although it can develop at any age, it is more common in people ages ten to 20-years-old.
Most cases of appendicitis are thought to be caused when something blocks the entrance of the appendix, a small, thin pouch measuring 5 to 10 cm.
It is usually the result of infection, or an obstruction, usually a hard piece of stool (faeces) that gets trapped in your appendix, and the bacteria in the stool then infects the appendix. Once bacteria enter your appendix, they rapidly multiply, causing the appendix to swell and become filled with pus.
The causes are not fully understood so there is no guaranteed way of preventing appendicitis.
Patients can experience nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, cramp like pain, constipation, high temperature and diarrhea. The pain can worsen by coughing, sneezing or even walking. The pain can be severe and the pain develops in the lower right abdominal area then you should seek medical attention.
Only 50% of appendicitis conforms to typical symptoms so it can be a difficult condition to diagnose. Sometimes the pain is gastroenteritis or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), constipation or a bladder infection. Some people’s appendixes are sited in slightly different positions. But GPs can usually diagnose by examining the abdomen and applying pressure to the site of the appendix i.e McBurney’s point.
In more complex cases, CT scan will determine if they appendix is inflamed.
Mild cases can be treated with antibiotics but in the majority of cases the appendix will have to be surgically removed in a procedure known as an appendectomy, performed through open surgery or laparoscopic surgery. A prompt operation can result in most patients being allowed home within 24 hours with pain and bruising lasting just a few days and comfortably managed with painkillers. The appendix doesn’t perform any important functions so having it removed does not lead to any long-term problems.
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