All About Appendix Surgery

Appendix surgery, more commonly known as appendectomy, is the surgical removal of an appendix from inside a person’s body. This rather common procedure has no negative implications and is a result of very few complications. The appendix is a small pouch-shaped organ inside our body. It takes space in the lower right side of the abdomen.

An interesting thing about the appendix is that it is of no functional use to the human body. Scientists do not know of the purpose of the appendix. Therefore, the removal of this organ results in no impact on a person’s health.

The most common reasons for the appendix are that it helps a person recover from stomach issues, such as diarrhea, infections, and inflammations of the abdomen. However, many people undergo appendix surgery and live healthy and long lives, which makes these claims unfounded speculations.

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Appendix Surgery: Issues

People are often victims of an inflamed and infected appendix. The appendix is often vulnerable to bacteria and disease invasion. In some cases, the bacterial invasion inside an appendix causes pus and inflammation to grow rapidly. Thus, a person usually experiences excruciating pain in the lower right side of their stomach. Often people mistake this pain for a stomachache and avoid medical attention.

However, this is an alarming situation. Leaving appendicitis unnoticed will lead to the overdevelopment of bacteria, and this can lead to harsh conditions, such as nausea, weakness, vomiting, and diarrhea. Thus, urgent medical attention becomes a requirement. In situations such as this, it is ideal for someone to stay rested since walking and movement can cause more pressure in the stomach.

Prolonging this condition can be critical and life-threatening. You must seek treatment as soon as possible. An infected appendix accumulates an infectious cavity inside. The excessive accumulation of this cavity can start putting pressure on the appendix when it has no place to escape.

Therefore, this pressure causes unrelenting pain, and leaving this condition untreated for a long period can result in the bursting of the appendix. A perforated appendix will release the infectious puss and material onto the abdominal cavity. This will lead to an array of further complications and, quite possibly, death.

Appendectomy

A person has to go through an appendectomy in the case of a swollen or inflamed appendix. An appendectomy is the only treatment for appendicitis. Since the appendix has no purpose in the human body, removal solves all the problems that come with a perforated appendix. However, a person must get an appendectomy before the bursting of the appendix.

An appendectomy is a surgical procedure that completely rids a person of all the intense symptoms of appendix inflammation. The symptoms include:

• Stomach pain, starting from the bottom and spreading across until settling into the lower right side.
• Swelling of the stomach
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Appetite loss
• Slight fever
• Abdominal Rigidity

Types of Appendectomy

You will find two types of appendectomy procedures. The first one involves an open surgery, and the second one involves the laparoscopic tool. Both surgeries share a similar purpose. However, the methods differ slightly. Your doctor can opt for the choice of method by looking at a patient’s severity and also medical history.

Open Appendectomy

An open appendectomy simply involves the surgeon making an incision on the lower right side of your abdomen, where your appendix is located. This incision gives the surgeon a clear opening towards the appendix. The team of doctors will then remove the appendix and stitch the incision wound close. The surgeon has to perform a step further and clean your abdominal cavity if the appendix burst and released harmful substances. Therefore, rupturing of the appendix is also a reason why the doctor chooses this surgical procedure.

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Laparoscopic Appendectomy

For this appendectomy procedure, the surgeon makes small incisions on a person’s stomach instead of a big one. After that, the surgeon inflates the abdomen by inserting a tube that releases carbon dioxide gas inside. Inflating the stomach makes the surgeon’s visibility better so that they can perform this procedure with precision and accuracy.

After that, the surgeon will insert the laparoscope inside the abdomen. This is a tube-like tool that has a camera on its end. The high-resolution camera allows the doctor to have a clear view of the internal abdomen. After locating the appendix with the laparoscope, the surgeon performs the removal of the inflamed organ. Lastly, they clean the incisions and close them. This method is less invasive and gives the patient a much quicker recovery time.

All About Appendix Surgery: Conclusion

If you have abdominal discomfort and want access to the best testing and treatment facility in New York, visit Lenox Hill Surgeons. Get experienced consultancy from specialists in the field. Call us now at (212) 988-1136. For more information, visit our website.