Appendicitis

 Appendicitis

Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix, a tube of tissue that extends from the large intestine. Appendicitis is a medical emergency that requires prompt surgery to remove the appendix. Left untreated, an inflamed appendix will eventually burst, or perforate, spilling infectious materials into the abdominal cavity. This can lead to peritonitis, a serious inflammation of the abdominal cavity's lining (the peritoneum) that can be fatal unless it is treated quickly with strong antibiotics.

Symptoms: lower right side abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, inability to pass gas, abdominal swelling, low grade fever, a sense you might feel better after passing stool
Treatment: Appendectomy can be performed as open surgery using one abdominal incision about 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 centimeters) long (laparotomy). 

 Disease Statistics: Approximately 250,000 cases of appendicitis occurred annually accounting for an estimated 1 million hospital days per year. The highest incidence of primary positive appendectomy was found in persons aged 10-19 years ; males had higher rates of appendicitis than females for all age groups (overall rate ratio, 1.4:1).