What is Appendicitis?

The appendix is a small, tubular-shaped organ found in the colon in the lower right abdomen. Appendicitis happens when said organ is inflamed, which causes pain in the abdomen that increases with the inflammatory process, becoming very intense.

Pain often initially appears in the umbilical area and moves to the lower right part of the abdomen.

Appendicitis can appear at any age, but it is most common between 12 and 32 years.

When the appendix becomes obstructed for various reasons, an infection occurs causing inflammation and the accumulation of pus, making it a medical emergency, since, if immediate treatment is not received, the appendix can burst and cause serious complications that can be deadly such as:

• Peritonitis: When the appendix bursts, the infection spreads to the abdomen, requiring emergency surgery to remove the appendix and clean the abdomen.
• Abdominal abscess: an abscess, which is the accumulation of pus, can form and must be drained with a catheter that remains inserted for a couple of weeks while taking antibiotics to attack the infection and be able to remove the appendix.

• Sudden pain in the lower right part of the abdomen that begins in the umbilical area and later moves towards the abdomen, which intensifies when walking, moving, or coughing.
• Diarrhea or constipation.
• Swollen abdomen.
• Intestinal gas.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Lack of appetite.
• High fever.

You should immediately see your doctor if you have any of these symptoms, or if the pain is very intense, go to the emergency room.

After analyzing your symptoms and performing a physical examination to see where the pain comes from and if it is appendicitis, your doctor will request a blood and urine test to assess a possible infection, perform an X-ray, ultrasound, tomography, or MRI to observe the appendix and confirm the diagnosis.

The indicated treatment for appendicitis is an appendectomy, that is, the surgical removal of the appendix, a procedure that can be performed with open surgery or laparoscopy. Currently, the latter is the most accepted because it is performed through a few small incisions, which helps recover faster and suffer less postoperative pain. However, laparoscopic surgery cannot always be performed, if there was an abscess or the appendix burst, open surgery will be necessary to be able to perfectly clean the infected abdomen.

After the procedure:

Recovery after an appendectomy will take several weeks or even more than a month if your appendix burst or you had an abscess. Due to this, it is important that you follow these recommendations that will help you recover faster and avoid delays in your recovery:

• Limit your movements and activities: if your procedure was laparoscopy, rest for a week; if it was open surgery, wait two weeks. Your doctor will tell you how to begin resuming your daily activities.
• Precautions when coughing or making movements: press your abdomen with a cushion or pillow to prevent pain or complications in the wound.
• Move when indicated by your doctor: When your doctor authorizes it, get out of bed, move, and walk a little. You can gradually increase the activity.

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