The appendix, or vermiform appendix, is an unpaired organ located in the abdominal cavity, which has a tubular shape, ranging in size from 2 to 17 cm or more, with its base flowing into the dome of the cecum. The appendix has the same layers as the cecum: serous, muscular, submucosal, mucous. In one of them there are lymphoid follicles (specific tissue that is similar in function to the tonsils in the throat), which play a huge role in the formation of inflammatory changes in the wall of the appendix.
The blood supply to the appendix is carried out by an artery that arises from the mesenteric vessels supplying the small intestine. The vessels of the appendix can have branches, and always pass through the mesentery, which consists of adipose tissue and gives the appendix mobility.
The innervation of the process (the provision of organs and tissues with nerve cells) is carried out by sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers. One of the important facts for doctors is that the nerve fibers of the sympathetic system that supply the appendix emerge from the solar plexus. This anatomical feature was noted by the famous surgeon Kocher, who described the displacement of pain from the upper abdomen to the right iliac region, with acute inflammation of the appendix.
On which side does a person have appendicitis?
Human abdominal cavity The human abdominal cavity is divided into 9 conventional areas, which are limited by lines drawn through anatomical structures. In particular, the projection of the appendix onto the anterior abdominal wall is in the right iliac region, which is approximately located below and to the right of the navel, not reaching the right thigh, i.e. we can say that appendicitis is located on the right side of a person below the navel.
Typically, the appendix arises from the posterior segment of the dome of the cecum, 2-3 cm below the ileocecal angle (the junction of the small intestine with the large intestine). There are five positions of the appendix relative to the cecum:
- Descending (40-50%) - located in the pelvis;
- Lateral (25%) - placed closer to the lateral abdominal wall;
- Internal (medial) (17-20%) - that is, closer to the small intestine;
- Posterior (retrocecal, dorsal) (9-15%) - in this case, it can be located behind the dome of the cecum intraperitoneally or extraperitoneally, which significantly complicates the diagnosis of acute appendicitis;
- Anterior (ventral) (8-15%) - adjacent to the anterior abdominal wall.
Depending on the location of the process, the clinical picture of the disease in people can be different and imitate diseases of various organs.
For example, the posterior location of the appendix can simulate the symptoms of renal colic with lower back pain, difficulty urinating and mild abdominal pain. Another option is internal placement, in which the patient complains of diarrhea, pain throughout the abdomen, which in turn can lead the patient and even the doctor to think about a banal intestinal infection.
Inflammation of the appendix - acute appendicitis
Inflamed appendix The term “acute appendicitis” implies acute nonspecific inflammation of the layers of the appendix. Depending on the spread of the reaction, it is possible to damage only the mucous membrane, or all layers of the organ, up to the occurrence of perforation (the appearance of a hole) in its wall. Classification of acute appendicitis:
- catarrhal - inflammation of the mucous membrane only;
- phlegmonous - damage to the mucous, submucosal and muscular membranes;
- gangrenous - damage to all layers of the organ;
- gangrenous-perforated - also damage to all layers, but with the presence of a pathological hole in the wall of the appendix (perforation).
Causes of acute appendicitis
To date, there is no single theory of the development of the disease. However, even in the last century, surgeons attached great importance to some of them, which still exist today:
Experience shows that timely removal of the inflamed appendix stops, or even completely stops, the development of the inflammatory process in the abdominal cavity.
The first symptoms of appendicitis
You need to remember a few simple symptoms that will help you identify appendicitis at home:
- abdominal pain;
- abdominal wall muscle tension;
- nausea, sometimes vomiting;
- general weakness, malaise.
So, let's take a closer look at each of them.
Migration of pain is the main symptom of appendicitis Abdominal pain. This is perhaps the most important sign of the presence of pathology in the abdominal cavity. You need to remember the main symptom of acute appendicitis - the Volkovich-Kocher symptom. It is characterized by migration of pain from the upper abdomen (sometimes patients say “stomach hurts”) or the entire abdomen to the right iliac region for 3-8 hours. I emphasize that this symptom is fundamental in making a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Although in rare cases this sign may not appear, for example, when the patient overslept at night, or did not pay attention to it, since he periodically has problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Further, the pain is debilitating and localized mainly in the right iliac region.
Abdominal wall muscle tension. This important symptom also occurs in most patients with acute appendicitis. It occurs when the patient wants to cough or perform any physical activity, and pain and tension in the muscles of the abdominal wall in the right iliac region occur. If the patient himself tries to touch this area, he will be able to feel his muscles tense.
This symptom of appendicitis is more informative for the doctor who examines the patient, but if a sick person discovers this symptom, he should definitely consult a specialist.
Nausea, sometimes vomiting. There are many dyspeptic symptoms in the presence of inflammation in the organs of the digestive tract, but these two together create a picture of the disease, in which you definitely need to see a doctor. Vomiting and nausea are not specific symptoms of acute appendicitis, but often accompany this disease. Nausea may be constant, and vomiting may be sporadic.
General weakness, malaise, increased body temperature. Fever and general weakness appear when the body is affected by toxic substances that enter the bloodstream in the presence of an inflammatory focus, which may be an inflamed appendix.
Symptoms of appendicitis in adult women and men
In adults, the symptoms of appendicitis are practically no different, but differential diagnosis can pose some difficulties for the doctor. I will present a list of diseases that may have a similar clinical picture with acute appendicitis and occur equally in men and women: inflammation of Meckel’s diverticulum, Crohn’s disease, enterocolitis, renal colic, colon cancer, etc.
In women, the symptoms of appendicitis are similar to the signs of the following pathologies: inflammation of the uterine appendages (adnexitis, salpingitis, tubo-ovarian abscess), disrupted ectopic pregnancy, rupture of an ovarian cyst, ovarian syndrome, ovarian apoplexy. The main point that everyone needs to understand is that all of the listed diseases require qualified treatment in a clinic, or, at a minimum, consultation with a doctor.
Symptoms of appendicitis during pregnancy
Pregnant women have a blurred picture of the disease, which can be misleading during the initial examination of a woman. It is necessary to pay attention to the period of pregnancy, because in the later stages the fetus enlarges and thereby expands the uterine cavity, which displaces the appendix upward. In this case, the pain may be located in the right hypochondrium, be not intense and intensify when the pregnant woman turns to the right side, due to the pressure of the uterus on the inflamed appendix. Otherwise, the symptoms are similar - there may also be vomiting, nausea, fever, and weakness.
The safest and most reliable method for diagnosing appendicitis in pregnant women is abdominal ultrasound. If the diagnosis of acute appendicitis is confirmed, it is necessary to urgently perform surgery to remove the inflamed appendix.
Signs of appendicitis in children
In children, there is a certain structural feature of the appendix and abdominal organs:
- a wide and short appendix up to the age of 3-4 years, with no accumulation or stagnation of contents in the lumen of the appendix;
- a relatively large area of the peritoneum, which can contribute to the rapid absorption of toxic substances and the development of a fatal complication of acute appendicitis - sepsis;
- the presence of a short greater omentum (this organ consists mainly of fatty tissue and should cover all organs of the abdominal cavity, but in children it is not able to do this, which can lead to generalization of purulent inflammation in the abdominal cavity).
Acute appendicitis mainly occurs in children over 5 years of age, but this fact does not prevent the presence of appendicitis in newborns or younger than 5 years of age. Acute appendicitis occurs very violently and with pronounced general symptoms. In young children, signs of appendicitis may include: fever, temperature up to 39 C, vomiting, sometimes diarrhea, general weakness, drowsiness, lack of physical activity.
When examining the child, pain and muscle tension in the right iliac region and positive symptoms of peritoneal irritation are noted. The signs of appendicitis in older children, as well as the course of the disease itself, are identical to adults.
Signs of appendicitis in older people
In older people, an attack of appendicitis may begin with pain in the stomach, which gradually moves to the right iliac region. However, the problem of diagnosing appendicitis in this group of the population often lies in the patient’s late visit to the doctor, the uncertainty of abdominal pain, sclerotic changes in the nervous system (the patient may not remember when the pain began, how long he has been sick, and cannot show the exact location of the pain) . The first place is taken by general weakness, elevated body temperature up to 38 C, bloating, constipation.It must be remembered that any pain that lasts more than a day should cause concern. Ultrasound and CT scan of the abdominal cavity help in diagnosing acute appendicitis. Treatment of appendicitis in elderly people is identical to all categories of the population - surgical removal of the inflamed appendix.
First aid for suspected acute appendicitis
First of all, if there is a suspicion of acute appendicitis you cannot take painkillers, since they can erase the clinical picture of the disease. If you recognize symptoms of appendicitis, you should consult a doctor immediately. Before the doctor arrives, you can afford to take a Drotaverine tablet (no-spa) or make an intramuscular injection of antispasmodics (Drotaverine or Papaverine).
Diagnosis of acute appendicitis
To confirm the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in a medical institution, the following diagnostic methods are used:
- general blood test (leukocytosis with a shift of the formula to the left is observed);
- general urinalysis (often without pathological changes);
- biochemical blood test (at the first stage of the inflammatory reaction in acute appendicitis, the levels of bilirubin, urea, creatinine, and total protein are within normal limits, but as complications develop, these indicators increase);
- Ultrasound (in our time has a very high percentage of accurate diagnosis, while the diagnostician can indicate the size of the appendix, its location, the presence or absence of free fluid in the abdominal cavity);
- computed tomography of the abdominal cavity (is the gold standard in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis).
Treatment
Treatment of appendicitis without surgery is impossible, therefore all patients with suspected acute appendicitis are immediately admitted to the surgical department. The surgeon has only 2 hours to make a diagnosis. Delay in this case is impossible.
Conservative therapy (antispasmodics, antibiotics, infusion therapy) and dynamic observation can be carried out within 2 hours. If, in combination with the clinical picture and deterioration of the results of additional examination methods, the surgeon makes a diagnosis of acute appendicitis, then the patient needs urgent surgery.
Surgical access in the early stages of the disease is made in the right iliac region, in an oblique direction, 7-10 cm long. If there are signs of peritonitis, a median laparotomy is performed, that is, an incision from the navel to the pubis. This access allows you to thoroughly sanitize the abdominal cavity, get rid of accumulated exudate and cure the patient.
Medicine does not stand still, so appendicitis can be removed laparoscopically, through just three small incisions on the abdominal wall, which will subsequently significantly reduce the duration of postoperative recovery.
Postoperative period
The duration of the operation can vary from 40 minutes to several hours, depending on the duration of the disease, the presence of complications and the location of the inflamed appendix in the abdominal cavity.
In the postoperative period, the patient receives appropriate drug therapy:
- antibiotics for 5-7 days;
- infusion therapy (a treatment method based on the introduction of various solutions of a certain volume and concentration into the bloodstream in order to correct pathological losses of the body or prevent them.);
- painkillers.
On the first day after the operation, eating and drinking are prohibited, since the patient receives everything he needs along with the infusion, but, in the absence of complications, he can already move independently. On the second day after the operation, you can drink mineral water, compote with dried fruits, eat light soup, baked apples. From the moment intestinal peristalsis starts, you can expand your diet.
The patient undergoes wound dressings daily to ensure tissue healing and the absence of wound complications.
The length of stay in the hospital after surgical treatment of acute appendicitis depends on the timeliness of the operation and its method. With a typical access and no complications, 6-8 days, and with laparoscopy only 3-4 days.
After surgery to remove the appendix, physical activity is contraindicated for at least 2 months.
Possible complications
There have been and will be complications in surgery, but a lot depends on the patient, who should not self-medicate, and at the first suspicious symptoms, immediately consult a doctor.
I will give examples of some complications of acute appendicitis.
Appendiceal infiltrate
Occurs when a patient presents to the hospital late for acute appendicitis and accounts for 4% of cases. Usually at home, people with abdominal pain take painkillers and antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription, which leads to the development of infiltration.
This complication consists in delimiting the inflamed appendix from the abdominal cavity using the organs adjacent to it, such as the small intestine, greater omentum, cecum, and abdominal wall. These organs create a barrier against the spread of purulent inflammation from the appendix into the abdominal cavity.
Treatment of infiltration is only conservative, in no case surgical. Broad-spectrum antibiotics, detoxification and anti-inflammatory therapy are used for 8-10 days, until signs of infiltration disappear.
Periappendicular abscess
This complication is the next stage in the development of infiltration, when appropriate treatment is not performed. In this case, purulent melting of the appendix develops with the formation in its place of a purulent focus, which is delimited by nearby organs.
The main complaints will be: abdominal pain, fever with a temperature of up to 40 C, weakness, malaise, and sometimes vomiting.
Treatment is only surgical, and it is necessary to open the abscess not transperitoneally, so as not to infect the abdominal cavity.
Peritonitis
Peritonitis is an inflammation of the peritoneum, which covers all organs of the abdominal cavity. A serious complication, which indicates an advanced case of acute appendicitis, is characterized by pain throughout the abdomen, fever, intoxication, and low blood pressure.
When a patient is admitted with such a diagnosis, it is necessary to first carry out preoperative preparation in the form of infusion therapy, and then perform a laparotomy, sanitize the abdominal cavity and remove the inflamed appendix.
The postoperative period in this case is significantly extended, irreparable consequences cannot be ruled out. Therefore, you should always contact a qualified doctor who will promptly suspect the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, which will prevent serious complications.
Pylephlebitis
A life-threatening complication characterized by portal vein thrombosis, leading to liver failure. The condition is manifested by fever, loss of consciousness, jaundice and acute hepatic-renal failure.
This is a very rare complication, practically impossible to predict, but it can be prevented by consulting a doctor in time.
Appendicitis often progresses to more severe forms, and diabetes actively contributes to this. The first signs of appendicitis are common conditions for diabetics, so people with this diagnosis often seek medical help too late. This leads to fatal consequences. But if the operation was successful, then diabetes can worsen the patient’s well-being and delay recovery.
What is appendicitis?
Appendicitis involves inflammation of the appendix, that is, the vestigial extension of the cecum (the first segment of the large intestine).
The appendix becomes filled with foreign matter (feces, unprocessed food), which leads to the beginning of the inflammatory process. More often, husks from seeds or grains accumulate. Inflammation sometimes begins due to an infection. This only happens if the immune system is weakened. Scientists have not yet been able to understand the exact cause of appendicitis.
Risk group
At risk of appendicitis are people aged 15 to 35 years with obesity, and this is often typical for diabetics. Pregnant women, as well as children from 3 to 5 years of age, are at risk. In diabetes mellitus, appendicitis is common due to the fact that the immune system is weakened. In addition, people who suffer from diabetes have a more difficult recovery period after surgery. This is due to the fact that many medications are contraindicated.
Symptoms of appendicitis
One of the symptoms of inflammation of the appendix may be abdominal pain. The following symptoms of appendicitis are distinguished:
- sharp pain in the abdomen;
- elevated temperature (37.5-38.0 °C);
- muscle tension;
- nausea, vomiting, sometimes diarrhea;
- dry mouth;
- Shchetkin-Blumberg syndrome.
Shchetkin-Blumberg syndrome is considered a reliable symptom of appendicitis. All other symptoms may indicate any inflammatory disease of the abdominal cavity. The meaning of the syndrome is that if you gently press on the stomach in the place where it hurts, and then quickly remove your hand, the pain will be much stronger than from pressing. If the patient discovers this syndrome, then it is necessary to immediately contact a medical institution.
Treatment of appendicitis in diabetes
First aid
If the patient has abdominal pain, then he can take 2 painkiller tablets (No-Spa or Buscopan) at a time, but if these drugs are ineffective and secondary symptoms appear that do not go away for more than 6 hours, then you need to consult a doctor . Under no circumstances should you take stronger painkillers. During the initial examination, the doctor must see the full picture. Under no circumstances should heat be applied to the abdomen, as this will increase the inflammatory process. Before the doctor arrives, you should not eat or drink water.
Diagnosis of the disease in a hospital
To make a diagnosis, the surgeon must examine the patient. After the patient is admitted to the hospital, a general urine and blood test is taken from him (in this case, they will be ready in half an hour). After this, he is examined by a surgeon, to whom the patient must tell all his symptoms, as well as chronic diseases. If the surgeon finds symptoms of appendicitis, he will send you for an ultrasound of the abdomen. Women are referred for examination to a gynecologist to rule out diseases of the uterus.
Acute appendicitis can affect anyone, regardless of age and gender.
The disease is dangerous in its consequences, and sometimes poses a serious threat to life.
The exact causes of the pathological process have not been fully studied, but there are a number of prerequisites leading to inflammation of the appendix.
The disease is often confused with other pathologies in the abdominal cavity due to similar symptoms. The main symptom is acute pain in the abdominal cavity.
Is it possible to drink noshpa for appendicitis for pain relief and how does this drug affect the dynamic picture of the disease? Read more about this.
Appendicitis
This pathology of the digestive organs is the most common among surgical ones and one of the most dangerous.
The threat is transience and serious complications. The likelihood of developing appendicitis throughout your life is quite high. The disease affects 5-10% of the total population.
The disease is represented by inflammation of the vermiform appendix, located in the lower region of the intestine. The functional component of this organ plays an important role in immune and endocrine processes, restoration of intestinal microflora.
Inflammation of the appendix is acute, in which pus accumulates in the cavity of the appendix.
The lumen of the appendix is blocked by a foreign body or fecal stones, which prevents the contents from exiting into the rectum.
As a result, the affected organ becomes inflamed, increases in size, and the patient experiences pain of a different nature.
If you do not consult a doctor in a timely manner and medical care is not provided, the walls of the appendix may rupture and pus may spread throughout the abdominal cavity.
This process entails peritonitis, sepsis or abscess in the peritoneal cavity, leading to death.
Reasons
The causes of the pathological process have not been precisely established. Doctors note that in every patient, inflammation of the appendix occurs due to blockage of the lumen of the appendix with fecal stones or a foreign body.
It is possible that the upper part of the appendix may be compressed due to adhesions that form after cholecystitis or enteritis.
Among all the factors influencing inflammation of appendicitis, doctors note the following:
- Penetration of infection;
- Incorrect output of feces or the formation of waste in the lumen of the appendix;
- Improper diet when the patient eats too much meat;
- Heredity, genetic predisposition, features of the anatomical structure;
- Formation of a blood clot in the artery, blocking access to nutrition, disrupting blood flow in the appendix. Patients suffering from atherosclerosis and heart disease are at risk;
- Weakened immunity;
- In women, the inflammatory process can be triggered by the uterine appendages.
This also includes stress, unstable psycho-emotional state, bad habits, and lack of vitamins.
Appendicitis is often diagnosed during pregnancy. Due to the enlargement of the uterus, the appendix is displaced and further inflamed.
With some pathological processes of the uterus, inflammation may spread to the appendix.
Treatment
Acute appendicitis can only be treated surgically. When the first signs of the disease appear, immediate hospitalization is required.
Additionally, drug therapy is used. When admitted to the hospital, the patient is examined in the emergency room.
A surgeon examines a patient with acute abdominal pain. If there is any doubt about appendicitis, differential diagnosis with other diseases is made.
For these purposes, no spa is prescribed for abdominal pain, after which premedication is given. After taking the medicine, doctors carefully monitor the patient's condition.
If symptoms increase, surgical intervention is mandatory.
Therapy is based on surgical intervention. The surgeon performs an appendectomy operation, which involves removing the appendix.
Antibacterial therapy is sometimes used. In some cases, a conservative treatment method without surgery is used.
With this therapy, the doctor prescribes antibacterial drugs. This method of treatment is used for serious contraindications to surgery.
Surgery is performed in two ways:
- Through an open incision;
- Using the laparoscopic method.
After the operation, bed rest is prescribed, meals are avoided (the first 12 hours). To avoid postoperative consequences or complications, a course of antibiotics is prescribed.
The recovery period depends on the severity of the disease and the method of surgery. With laparoscopy, the patient's recovery time is significantly reduced compared to the classical method.
Taking no spa for appendicitis
If you suspect appendicitis, you should immediately consult a doctor. Any persistent pain in the abdominal area that does not go away within 6 hours should be a cause for concern.
Taking any medications, including laxatives, antibacterials, antispasmodics and analgesics is prohibited.
This number includes gastrointestinal medicinal products. All of the drugs listed can blur the clinical picture when a doctor makes an accurate diagnosis.
The patient can take noshpa. If the pain does not go away or intensifies, immediately call an ambulance.
You should not place a heating pad on the right side of the abdominal cavity, since heat helps accelerate the development of the inflammatory process.
You can't eat, you need bed rest. The doctor will carefully examine the patient, who will tell you about his symptoms in detail.
Symptoms
To recognize the disease and promptly seek help from specialists, there are certain signs and symptoms:
- Acute appendicitis often occurs at night or in the morning;
- The most important symptom of the disease is acute pain. Her attacks are pronounced, intensify and spread to the entire abdominal cavity. The pain is especially pronounced when walking or lying on the left side.
- The location of the pain syndrome may be under the ribs, in the umbilical region, in the lumbar region;
- Pregnant women may experience pain associated with appendicitis as the fetus grows due to changes in the location of internal organs in the abdominal area.
- Pain syndrome can vary in severity and intensity.
- If the pain syndrome disappears during an attack of appendicitis, you should be wary, since this is a clear sign of the development of peritonitis. With this diagnosis, necrosis of nerve endings occurs.
- During palpation, apply pressure to the affected area, then release sharply. With appendicitis, the pain intensifies.
- The patient feels nausea, may vomit, and bowel dysfunction occurs (constipation or diarrhea);
- Manifestations of fever are possible.
If you experience intense pain in the abdominal area that does not go away after taking the spa, you should urgently call a doctor.
The seriousness of the disease cannot be underestimated. If medical care is not provided in a timely manner, dangerous consequences are possible, leading to peritonitis, abscess, and death.
The only preventive way against complications is timely consultation with a doctor.
Useful video
Usually the pain appears suddenly in the epigastric region (at the initial stage of the disease it is often mistaken for pain in the stomach). After this, for several hours (usually 6-8, sometimes 12 hours or more), the pain intensifies and moves to the right, localizing in the iliac region (under the right costal arch). If the patient has not received assistance by this point, the pain becomes diffuse and it becomes difficult to determine its location. This migration of pain is a specific sign of inflammation of the appendix.
The appendix may be located in the abdominal cavity higher than usual, then the pain will be concentrated almost. With other abnormal locations of the appendix, the pain may be localized closer to the navel or in the lumbar region.
Appendicitis in pregnant women is characterized by non-standard localization of pain due to displacement of internal organs.
When the pain is felt constantly, but it may weaken or intensify for some time.
When moving, coughing or changing body position, the pain becomes stronger, so patients often move, holding their hand on the right lower abdomen, or lie motionless on their right side. When you try to roll over or lie on your left side, the pain intensifies significantly.
If the pain suddenly disappears, this is a very ominous sign, indicating the beginning of pain, accompanied by the death of nerve endings.
When palpating the abdomen, the pain does not become stronger, but it increases sharply if you stop pressing on the palpated area.
Other signs of appendicitis
In addition to pain, inflammation of the appendix can be accompanied by tension in the abdominal wall, nausea and vomiting, and possible disturbances in bowel movements and frequent urination. The patient feels weak, loses appetite, the temperature usually rises to low-grade levels, and sometimes headache and increased blood pressure are observed.
In appendicitis, the malaise is usually less pronounced than in appendicitis, and the main symptom of the disease is abdominal pain. Children suffer more, including from pain, they vomit more often, and their temperature rises.
In elderly people with appendicitis, the pain syndrome is mild, which often leads to late recognition of the disease and untimely seeking help.
Is it possible to relieve the pain?
Appendicitis requires treatment in a surgical hospital. It is impossible to manage in case of an acute emergency, and any delay in bringing the patient to the doctor threatens with serious complications. You must call an ambulance without delay.
You should not try to relieve pain on your own. Taking antispasmodics (no-spa, papaverine) or painkillers blurs the symptoms and complicates diagnosis, causing you to waste valuable time; in addition, the effectiveness of these drugs for appendicitis is usually low.
Under no circumstances should heat or cold be applied to the patient’s abdomen. A warm heating pad will cause inflammation to spread. You should not try to palpate the patient’s abdomen on your own - it is inflamed due to careless movement.
Description:
Appendicitis refers to inflammatory changes in the appendix. The appendix is a small appendage extending from the main part of the colon and is localized in the lower right region of the abdomen. It is believed that the appendix has no useful functions in the human body.
Symptoms:
Symptoms can vary widely, especially among children.
The most common early symptom is continuous abdominal pain around the belly button, which may move to the lower right side of the abdomen, becoming more severe. The pain often prevents the patient from moving, and worsens when coughing.
Appendicitis is also accompanied by symptoms such as:
- increase in temperature;
- loss of appetite;
- ;
- ;
- constipation or diarrhea.
In addition to a physical examination, additional studies may be required to make a diagnosis:
- X-ray examination;
- Ultrasound;
-computer tomography;
- blood test;
- urine test (to rule out urinary tract infections).
Appendicitis can sometimes be difficult to diagnose, especially in young children.
Complications of appendicitis.
If the inflamed appendix is not removed, there is a danger of it rupturing. If this happens, the infected contents of the appendix will spill into the abdominal cavity. This is a much more serious medical problem - it develops, which poses a great danger. Signs of a perforated appendix include a sudden worsening of symptoms.
Causes:
Appendicitis usually develops as a result of blockage of blood vessels in its wall. This causes the wall of the appendix to swell and it can easily become infected with bacteria.
Appendicitis occurs at any age, but most often develops between the ages of 10 and 30 years.
Treatment:
For treatment the following is prescribed:
Treatment for appendicitis involves removing the inflamed appendix.
Two methods of performing appendectomy are used:
- open method (access is carried out laparotomically);
- laparoscopic appendectomy - three small “keyhole” incisions provide access to the site of inflammation.
If intraoperative difficulties arise, laparoscopic appendectomy can be converted to laparotomy. There are cases when, during surgery for appendicitis, a completely different reason for the clinical symptoms that has arisen is discovered. In such cases, they try to immediately, during the same surgical intervention, eliminate the cause.
