Appendicitis

Appendicitis

Appendicitis (appendicitis) is an acute inflammation of the appendix. It usually starts with pain around the navel, which eventually moves to the right side of the abdomen. Appendicitis usually affects people aged 10-30.

What is appendicitis?

The cecum (coecum) is an approximately 10 cm long part of the transition between the small intestine and the large intestine. The name comes from the fact that the intestine is a kind of "dead end" with no known function. The appendix opens into the closed appendix. If the appendix becomes inflamed, this is called appendicitis.

Occurrence of appendicitis

Appendicitis is common and as many as 15% will develop appendicitis at some point in their lives. Appendicitis can affect anyone, but is most often seen in children and young people under the age of 30. On a worldwide basis, you see a decrease in the disease, without knowing the reason for this.

Cause of appendicitis

Appendicitis occurs as a result of the appendix becoming clogged with faeces and bacteria. The blocked passage in the appendix means that mucus produced inside the appendix accumulates inside the appendix. Since the appendix is not allowed to empty, the pressure inside the appendix will increase and this will in turn reduce blood circulation to the appendix. This provides good growth conditions for bacteria, and an infection (inflammation) in the appendix can occur. A connection has been seen between low fiber in the diet and appendicitis.

Symptoms of appendicitis

• Pain around the navel that moves to the right side within 12 hours

• The pain worsens with movement

• Nausea/vomiting

• Poor appetite

• Constipation

• Some may get diarrhea

• Some people also get a slight fever

However, the symptoms of appendicitis can vary widely depending on age and the location of the appendix. In the elderly, the symptoms are often diffuse and less obvious, while during pregnancy the appendix can be displaced so that the pain is higher up in the abdomen.

If the appendix is not removed, it will rupture. This occurs in about 20% of cases of appendicitis. Normally, the abdominal pain will disappear temporarily as the appendix ruptures, but then the pain will intensify again after minutes to hours. A ruptured appendix over time can lead to dangerous peritonitis.

Treatment of appendicitis

An appendicitis cannot be treated with drugs, but must be removed by surgery. The operation involves removing the inflamed appendix. The appendix does not appear to have any special function and it is therefore not considered harmful to remove this part of the appendix.

To prevent infection in the surgical wound, the doctor often prescribes antibiotics for preventive treatment for a few days after the operation.

When should you contact a doctor for appendicitis?

If you notice unexplained pain in the right side of your stomach, you should contact your doctor immediately.

Sources: Norwegian electronic medical handbook, Norwegian health informatics