What is appendicitis?
Posted on September 20, 2009
Filed Under Appendicitis |
Appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix, a small piece of intestine in the form of worm that is attached to the large intestine on the right side of the abdomen.
It can happen at any age but most cases are between 8 and 25 years. Rarely seen in children fewer than 2. In young people, appendicitis is probably the most common cause of abdominal pain requiring emergency surgery.
What causes appendicitis?
In most cases, the specific reason for the inflammation is not known, but sometimes causes small pieces of hard stools (fealties) that are stored in the appendix.
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what are the symptoms of appendicitis?
Symptoms can be extremely variable, although usually present as follows:
* usually the first sign is pain or discomfort in the center of the abdomen. This pain comes and goes in waves, and often it is believed that this is just messed up stomach.
* After a few hours, pain becomes more evident and constant in the lower right stomach. Increases with movement or coughing. Often the patient loses appetite, feel sick and vomit. The temperature rises and the skin becomes red. Se produce halitosis, as decor queue el alien to heel may mal.
* After some time (usually days) the patient feels worse, the temperature increases, the pain spreads to the rest of the abdomen, which is hard, and if the patient is not operated, it can lead to serious complications (perforation and peritonitis).
How is appendicitis diagnosed?
The doctor performs a medical history, explores the patient and takes the temperature. In the exploration pays special attention to palpation in the lower right side of the abdomen and the appearance of pain to stop pressing. Occasionally, a rectal exploration (DRE) or the vagina to rule out other causes of pelvic pain.
Analyzes blood and urine, looking for an infection, and may request abdominal ultrasound and scanners to assist the diagnosis. The indication for intervention is set by the Exploration of the doctor and the result of tests performed. Normally that is the cause of pain is not appendicitis in two of ten patients operated with this diagnosis.
What is the treatment of appendicitis?
With few exceptions the treatment of appendicitis is the extirpation of the appendix (appendectomy). This completely anesthesia to the patient and a small incision is made obliquely in the lower right abdomen. Sometimes it is necessary to put a drain in the abdomen to facilitate the departure of remains during the postoperative period.
In some centers, the removal of the appendix is performed using a few small holes (usually three) that allow the introduction into the abdomen of a video system and accurate instruments. This procedure is called laparoscopy and has not been shown to have significant advantages compared to the conventional technique.
In uncomplicated cases, the patient is usually 2 or 3 days in hospital, being discharged when the fever and reestablishes the possibility of eating normally. Points or staples are usually removed after 7-10 days and return to normal activity usually takes place at 4-6 weeks. The care home will not require more than the daily washing of the wound and the ingestion of any analgesic if in pain.
What complications can occur after surgery?
Is not expected to have major problems when appendicitis is diagnosed before the perforation and peritonitis. In the 20% who do have perforated appendix, was set off antibiotics about a week, which has led to a situation is not as serious as was at one time. However, there is the risk of abscesses (pockets of pus) in the abdominal cavity that may require drainage or in some cases a new intervention. What is relatively common is that they infect the wound. This may require opening the skin and let the wound heal slowly and inside out.
Like any intervention in the abdomen, there are internal scars that can cause that someday will obstruct the intestine. These obstructions appear in a small number of patients, can occur at any time of life (although it occurs in the months following the intervention, cases have been seen 60 years after the appendectomy) and sometimes require urgent. It is also possible that a small percentage of patients following a hernia at the scar, which would require a further action to resolve it.
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