Appendectomy

In the US, about 5 to 9 people out of 100 people develop appendicitis. Appendicitis is the painful inflammation of the appendix that has the risk of bursting. An untreated burst appendix can lead to serious complications.

The Appendix

The appendix is a small pouch located at the end of the colon, near the bottom-right region of the abdomen. There is not much use of it as it was never an issue taking it out.

Appendicitis

As mentioned before, appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix, which can make it burst. Once it does burst, if left untreated, it can lead to peritonitis, the infection of the abdomen lining and possibly other organs, and sepsis if the infection travels into the bloodstream. Therefore, emergency surgery is done to take out the appendix and clean the abdominal cavity as soon as possible, called an appendectomy.

Surgery

Appendectomy is the standard surgery or treatment for appendicitis unless it is caught early and the appendix is not inflamed enough to burst. In that case, antibiotics can be given. 

There are two types of appendectomy:

• Open appendectomy (Usually done when the appendix has already burst or has had abdominal surgery prior)
• Laparoscopic appendectomy

Open Appendectomy

First, an incision of around 2-4 inches is made near the lower-right area of the abdomen, as seen in the picture above. Surgeons will cut to the abdominal cavity and separate the muscles to reach the appendix. If the appendix has already burst, the fluid will be drained, and the cavity will be cleaned with a saline solution. Then, surgeons will tie the appendix off with stitches and remove it. Once it is all done, the patient’s abdomen is stitched and sent to a room to recover. If there is peritonitis, a tube might be left to drain any excess fluid. If the infection is serious, a laparotomy (incision along the middle of the abdomen) is done. 

Laparoscopic Appendectomy

Laparoscopic appendectomy is minimally invasive as instead of making large incisions, surgeons will make a few tiny incisions to insert necessary instruments. This type also allows patients to recover faster with minimal scars and less pain. 

To start, a small incision is made near the belly button to place a tube (cannula) that will fill the cavity with carbon dioxide gas in order to have more space to work with and better visuals with the camera. The tube is removed, and a laparoscope, a small high-resolution camera on a thin tube, is inserted in the cannula’s place. The surgery is then carried on as the open appendectomy but through 1-3 tiny incisions for the instruments. However, the laparoscopic appendectomy might be turned into an open one if any complications occur.

Works Cited

Cleveland Clinic. “Appendectomy (Appendix Removal Surgery): Preparation & Procedure.” Cleveland Clinic, 26 Oct. 2021, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/21922-appendectomy.

Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Appendectomy.” Johns Hopkins Medicine, 14 Aug. 2019, www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/appendectomy.

Mayo Clinic. “Appendicitis.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 18 Aug. 2023, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/appendicitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20369543.

NIDDK. “Definition & Facts for Appendicitis.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, July 2021, www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/appendicitis/definition-facts 

SAGES. “Laparoscopic Appendix Removal (Appendectomy) Surgery Patient Information.” SAGES, 20 May 2020, www.sages.org/publications/patient-information/patient-information-for-laparoscopic-appendectomy-from-sages/.“Treatment.” NHS, NHS, 21 Oct. 2022, www.nhs.uk/conditions/appendicitis/treatment/.