Hospital Services : General Surgery : Appendectomy

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Services : General Surgery : Appendectomy

The appendix is a small, finger-shaped pouch of intestinal tissue located between the small intestine (cecum) and large intestine (colon).

If the appendix becomes infected, it must be surgically removed before a hole develops and spreads the infection to the entire abdominal space. Symptoms of acute appendicitis include: abdominal pain (located in the lower right side) fever (elevated temperature) reduced appetite (anorexia) nausea (vomiting) Your doctor will: check the abdomen for tenderness and tightness check the rectum for tenderness and an enlarged appendix check the blood for an increase in white blood cells (WBC) perform a pelvic exam in women (to exclude pain caused by the ovaries or uterus) As of now, there isn't a test to confirm appendicitis, and some of the symptoms may actually be caused by other illnesses. Your doctor will diagnose from the information you report, and from what he sees during your exam. Even if your doctor finds that the appendix is not infected (which can happen up to 25% of the time), he will thoroughly check the other abdominal organs and remove the appendix anyway.

A small incision is made in the lower right side of your abdomen, and the appendix is removed.

Appendectomy is performed while you are deep asleep and pain-free (using general anesthesia). If a pocket of infection (abscess) has formed or the appendix has ruptured (perforated), the abdomen will be thoroughly washed out during surgery. Your surgeon then leaves the skin open so it can mend together on its own (secondary intention), and so that the infection can drain (sometimes a small drainage tube is inserted). In some unusual cases, appendectomy can be performed laparoscopically. This is usually done in women, when the cause of the abdominal pain is uncertain.

Recovery from a simple appendectomy is usually complete and rapid. Most patients go home the day after their operation and resume a normal diet and normal activities within one to two weeks. If the appendix has developed an abscess or if it has ruptured, your recovery will be slower and more complicated, requiring use of medications (antibiotics) to treat the infection. Living without an appendix causes no known health problems.