When your appendix becomes infected or obstructed, bacteria that normally live inside the organ can rapidly multiply. Your appendix becomes inflamed and filled with pus, a thick liquid containing bacteria, tissue debris, and dead white blood cells.
This infection will cause the pressure within your appendix to quickly increase. As the pressure increases, the amount of blood flowing through the wall of the organ decreases.
The healthy cells that make up the tissues of your appendix will then become starved of blood and start to die. This will continue until the muscular wall in one area of your appendix gets so thin that it breaks open, allowing bacteria-laden pus from inside the appendix to leak out into the rest of the abdomen. When your appendix ruptures, you may start to feel better as the appendix pain you originally had subsides. But this generally doesn't last long, because a perforated appendix can quickly lead to other health issues.
Pus-filled abscesses may develop around your appendix. Scar tissue and other abdominal structures will "wall off" the abscessed appendix and the seepage, preventing the infection from spreading. If you have an abscessed appendix, you may experience symptoms similar to appendicitis, including: 5. You may also experience other symptoms not typically associated with appendicitis, such as weakness, chills, high fever, and a feeling of rectal fullness. Additionally, the infected contents that have seeped out of your appendix may cause peritonitis, which is an infection of the peritoneum, the silk-like membrane that lines the abdominal cavity.
The inflammation and pain will spread throughout your abdomen, and become worse with any kind of movement. A ruptured appendix also may allow bacteria to infect the bloodstream—a life-threatening condition called sepsis Sepsis and Septic Shock Sepsis is a serious bodywide response to bacteremia or another infection plus malfunction or failure of an essential system in the body.
Septic shock is life-threatening low blood pressure When a doctor presses on this area, it is tender, and when the pressure is released, the pain may increase sharply rebound tenderness. Moving and coughing increase the pain. In many people, particularly infants and children, the pain may be widespread rather than confined to the right lower portion of the abdomen. In older people and in pregnant women, the pain may be less severe, and the area is less tender.
If the appendix ruptures, pain may lessen for several hours. Then, peritonitis occurs, and pain and fever may become severe. Worsening infection can lead to shock Shock Shock is a life-threatening condition in which blood flow to the organs is low, decreasing delivery of oxygen and thus causing organ damage and sometimes death.
Blood pressure is usually low Typically, surgery is done immediately if the doctor strongly suspects appendicitis. An ultrasound scan can show the size and shape of many organs, such as the liver and pancreas Ultrasonography is particularly useful in children, in whom it is important to limit radiation exposure to reduce the risk of future cancers.
Surgeons can also do laparoscopy Laparoscopy Laparoscopy is an examination of the abdominal cavity using a fiberoptic instrument inserted through the abdominal wall. This is a surgical procedure done in an operating room. People are given A blood test often shows a moderate increase in the white blood cell count because of the infection, but there is no definitive blood test for appendicitis. If you have abdominal pain that's gradually getting worse, contact a GP or your local out-of-hours service immediately.
If these options are not available, call NHS for advice. Call to ask for an ambulance if you have pain that suddenly gets worse and spreads across your abdomen, or if your pain temporarily improves before getting worse again.
If your pain eases for a while but then gets worse, your appendix may have burst, which can lead to life-threatening complications. Read more about diagnosing appendicitis and complications of appendicitis. If you have appendicitis, it's likely your appendix will need to be removed as soon as possible. Removal of the appendix, known as an appendicectomy or appendectomy, is 1 of the most common operations in the UK and its success rate is excellent.
It's most commonly carried out as keyhole surgery laparoscopy. Several small cuts are made in the abdomen, allowing special surgical instruments to be inserted.
However, some speculate that the appendix may play an important role in the digestive tract. In any case, most agree that the appendix can be safely removed if needed — as in the event of appendicitis — without posing any threat to the patient. The precise cause of appendicitis is not well understood, and it can affect anyone at any time, though it is more frequently seen in children.
Because appendicitis can lead to widespread infection, a ruptured appendix, and other severe or life-threatening complications, almost immediate diagnosis and treatment are necessary.
Unfortunately, the signs and symptoms of appendicitis often mimic those of other conditions, making it a difficult ailment to self-diagnose. Additionally, appendicitis symptoms may initially be subtle or confusing, particularly in pregnant women and older patients.
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