Watch video about laparoscopic appendectomy surgery here for FREE! You'll see how doctors do with our appendix!.Appendicitis Updated Review
Review all aspect of appendicitis including symptoms, sign, investigation,treatment and surgery
Watch video about laparoscopic appendectomy surgery here for FREE! You'll see how doctors do with our appendix!.How to Detect Acute Appendicitis
Acute appendicitis is the most common cause of abdominal pain among children and teenagers worldwide. They can be either acute or chronic. Acute appendicitis develops fast and can be removed using surgery. It can become severe, however, if not discovered and treated in time. Chronic appendicitis, on the other hand, develops slower and has less pronounced symptoms.
Acute appendicitis is caused by bacterial infections in the vermiform appendix, a tubular extension of the large intestine which functions as part of the digestive process. When the appendix is blocked by feces or it is squeezed by lymph nodes, it swells and usually doesn’t receive enough blood.
Preoperative Preparation of Appendicitis
When the decision is made to perform an appendectomy for acute appendicitis, the patient should proceed to the operating room with little delay to minimize the chance of progression to perforation. Such occurrences are rare, however, as most cases of appendiceal perforation occur prior to surgical evaluation. Patients with appendicitis may be dehydrated from fever and poor oral intake, so intravenous fluids should be begun, and pulse, blood pressure, and urine output should be closely monitored. Markedly dehydrated patients may require a Foley catheter to ensure adequate urine output. Severe electrolyte abnormalities are uncommon with nonperforated appendicitis, as vomiting and fever have typically been present for 24 hours or less, but may be significant in cases of perforation. Any electrolyte deficiencies should be corrected prior to the induction of general anesthesia.
Immunocompromise and Appendicitis
The immunocompromised state alters the normal response to acute infection and wound healing. Appendicitis affects all types of patients and must be considered in those who have undergone organ transplantation, are receiving chemotherapy, have hematological malignancy, or are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. The differential diagnosis of abdominal pain in this population is broad and includes hepatitis, pancreatitis (from medications or cytomegalovirus infection), acalculous cholecystitis, intra-abdominal opportunistic infections (cytomegalovirus colitis or mycobacterial ileitis), secondary malignancies (lymphoma or Kaposi’s sarcoma), graft-versus-host disease, and typhlitis. This broad differential diagnosis often results in delay in diagnosis and late presentation to surgical evaluation, at which time perforation may be more likely.
Summary of Appendicitis Disease
Summary of Appendicitis Disease
