Appendicitis

Verywell / Jessica Olah This article discusses appendicitis surgery recovery time, including how long you may in the hospital. It provides a recovery timeline and when you can return to work or school following an appendectomy. It also explains pain management, incision care, and when to call your surgeon. During laparoscopic appendicitis surgery, carbon dioxide is pumped into the abdominal cavity. This can cause gas pain for a few days following surgery. To ease gas pain and release trapped gas: • Sip warm water with lemon or peppermint tea • Move your legs and torso or walk After Open Appendectomy An open appendectomy will require a hospital stay. You will be admitted at least overnight and may need to stay for a few days. You'll be connected to an IV for fluids and • Abdominal pain, cramping, or swelling • Difficulty breathing, constant coughing, or shortness of breath • Fever greater than 101 degrees with or without chills • Increasing pain around the incision site after the third day • Loss of appetite or inability to drink or eat • No bowel movement or unable to pass gas for three days • Redness, swelling, bleeding, or drainage from the incision site • Repeated vomiting • Watery diarrhea for more than three days • John Hopkins Medicine. • American College of Surgeons. • SAGES: Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. • U.S. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus. • Rasmussen T, Fonnes S, Rosenberg ...

An appendectomy is a surgery to remove the appendix. It’s the main treatment for an inflamed appendix, commonly known as appendicitis. The appendix is a small, tube-shaped pouch that’s attached to your intestines on the lower right side of your abdomen. Its exact purpose is unknown. Your body can still function without it. It’s important to seek treatment right away if you’re having • abdominal pain that spreads to • • • • • • If you don’t receive treatment for appendicitis, your appendix can rupture (burst). A An appendectomy is performed to treat appendicitis. This infection can occur when the opening of the appendix gets clogged with bacteria and stool. It causes your appendix to swell and become inflamed. Without prompt treatment, your appendix could burst. If that occurs, bacteria from your appendix can spread into your bloodstream and cause Other dangers of a ruptured appendix include: • • abscess, which is a collection of Both are serious and require immediate treatment. An appendectomy is a common and usually safe procedure. However, there are some risks associated with the surgery, including: • • • infection • injury to organs such as the bladder or intestines • The risks associated with untreated appendicitis are much more severe than those associated with an appendectomy. Did you know? Some children and adults with Once you’re at the hospital, a doctor will perform a physical exam and ask about your medical history. During the physical exam, the doctor will gent...

Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix. This small, fingerlike tube sits near the lower right side of the large intestine. It usually becomes inflamed because of an infection or an obstruction in the digestive tract. If untreated, an infected appendix can burst and spread the infection throughout the abdominal cavity and into the bloodstream. Symptoms Symptoms of appendicitis include: • abdominal pain, usually starting just above the belly button and then moving to the right lower side of the abdomen • nausea • vomiting • abdominal swelling • pain when the right side of the abdomen is touched • low-grade fever • inability to pass gas • change in normal bowel pattern Diagnosis Many things can cause abdominal pain. To make a diagnosis, your doctor will ask you about your current and past health. He or she will be especially interested in any digestive symptoms and your most recent bowel movements: their timing, frequency, character (watery or hard), and whether the stool was streaked with blood or mucus. Your doctor will examine you and check for pain in your lower right abdomen. In children, the doctor will look to see whether the child holds his or her hands over the navel when asked where it hurts. In an infant, flexed hips (knees held toward the chest) and a tender abdomen can be important clues to the diagnosis. After the physical examination, your doctor will likely recommend that you have blood tests to check for signs of infection and a urinalysis to rule ou...

Appendicitis The appendix is a narrow, finger-shaped pouch that projects out from the colon. Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes inflamed and filled with pus. Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, a finger-shaped pouch that projects from your colon on the lower right side of your abdomen. Appendicitis causes pain in your lower right abdomen. However, in most people, pain begins around the navel and then moves. As inflammation worsens, appendicitis pain typically increases and eventually becomes severe. Symptoms Signs and symptoms of appendicitis may include: • Sudden pain that begins on the right side of the lower abdomen • Sudden pain that begins around your navel and often shifts to your lower right abdomen • Pain that worsens if you cough, walk or make other jarring movements • Nausea and vomiting • Loss of appetite • Low-grade fever that may worsen as the illness progresses • Constipation or diarrhea • Abdominal bloating • Flatulence The site of your pain may vary, depending on your age and the position of your appendix. When you're pregnant, the pain may seem to come from your upper abdomen because your appendix is higher during pregnancy. When to see a doctor Make an appointment with a doctor if you or your child has worrisome signs or symptoms. Severe abdominal pain requires immediate medical attention. Causes A blockage in the lining of the appendix that results in infection is the likely cause of appendicitis. The bacteria multiply rapidly, ca...

• In one area, rather than felt throughout the belly • Intense and hard to ignore (even potentially bad enough to wake you from sleep) • Constant, lasting for several hours to a few days (either until it is treated or the appendix bursts, which can make the pain suddenly get better only to get worse again) • Worse when you move, take deep breaths, cough, sneeze, or get jostled (e.g., when you go over a bump in the road while riding in a car) • Unlike other pain you've had • If your pregnancy is advanced, you may have appendix pain in your upper-right quadrant. • If your appendix is located more toward the back (retroperitoneal), you might feel pain more in the lower-right • Appendicitis pain can be on the left side if, for example, you have a larger-than-normal appendix or an • Loss of appetite: When your body knows something is wrong, it may prompt you to avoid eating so there is less stress put on your GI tract. • Nausea and vomiting: As your body starts fighting inflammation and infection from appendicitis, you may get queasy and throw up. Unlike with a viral illness, you won't feel better after vomiting if you have appendicitis. In fact, you may start to feel worse. • Trouble You may feel or look • An infection or inflammation in your GI tract can make things speed up and cause loose stools or slow down and make stools hard to pass. In some cases, it can even lead to a In general, data suggest that the risk of your appendix bursting if you get treatment within the firs...