A Simple Guide to Appendicitis

A Simple Guide to Appendicitis
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What is Appendicitis?
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Appendicitis is an infection of the vermiform appendix, a small elongated appendage at the base of the caecum.

What are the causes of Appendicitis?
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Appendicitis may occur after:

1.obstruction of the lumen of the appendix by fecalith(small hard faeces), foreign body(eg. seeds), kinking

2.inflammatory oedema of the mucosa

3.infection of the intestine(eg. E. coli) spreading to the appendix

What are the symptoms and signs of Appendicitis?
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Symptoms:

1.Pain occurs in the navel region, then moves down to right lower quadrant(McBurney's point-one third from right pelvic protrusion and two thirds from the navel)

2.nausea and vomiting

3.mild fever

4.often a history of constipation, rarely diarrhea

5. loss of appetite

Signs:

1.tenderness,guarding and rebound pain at McBurney's point

2.Positive Psoas and obturator sign in some cases

3.leucocytosis - mainly polymorphs

4.Palpable mass felt at McBurney's point may indicate presence of appendicular
abscess

5.rectal examination may show a palpable tender swelling at the right iliac fossa

What are the complications of Appendicitis?
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1.Perforation of the untreated inflammed appendix causes pus to spill into the abdominal cavity

2.Peritonitis(inflammation of the the whole of the internal abdomen) may occur as a result of a ruptured inflammed appendix

3.Septicemia may result from the bacteria entering the blood.

Death may occur in untreated peritonitis and septicemia.

What is the treatment of Appendicitis?
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All confirmed appenicitis should be treated by surgical removal of the inflammed appendix.

Following surgery, antibiotics are given either intravenously or orally.

What is the prognosis of Appendicitis?
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1.Excellent with appropriate surgical intervention

2.Abscesses which developed and are surgical drained and treated with antibiotics recovered rapidly.

3.Peritonitis and septicemia treated early by surgery and antibiotics usually recovered.

Finally there is no such condition such as chronic Appendicitis.
All Appendicitis cases are acute.