Description of the procedure
An appendectomy is surgery to remove the appendix. It is the standard treatment for appendicitis, which is an inflammation and infection in the appendix. The appendix is a small, finger-shaped pouch attached to the colon. It can become infected if stool becomes trapped in it or as a result of another infection. In an appendectomy, a surgeon removes the appendix from the colon and then closes the hole left in the colon.
Appendicitis may be diagnosed in your doctor's office or at the hospital. An appendectomy is always done in a hospital under general anesthetic.
The stages of an appendectomy from the removal of the appendix to the suturing of the incision.
When should this procedure be performed?
An appendectomy is done if you are diagnosed with appendicitis. Because you only have one appendix and it cannot grow back after being removed, you can only have an appendectomy once.
Why is this procedure performed?
An appendectomy is performed to remove a swollen and infected appendix. Your appendix can become swollen and irritated when its opening becomes blocked causing bacteria to grow on the appendix wall. The appendix then becomes infected and may fill with pus, in turn, causing abdominal pain. Over a matter of hours, this pain can become very severe. If the appendix is not removed, it could burst, spreading the infection into the abdomen and increasing the risk of serious complications.
Are there any risks and precautions I should know about?
The most common risk associated with an appendectomy is an infection around the stitches following surgery. The infection may be mild, causing redness and tenderness, or severe, requiring antibiotics and further surgery. There is also the risk of infection in the area where the appendix was, requiring further treatment. Bleeding is another risk of any surgery.
An appendectomy will leave a scar on the abdomen, though laparoscopic surgery may leave less scarring because the openings are smaller.
Certain risks are common to all surgery and every time an anesthetic is used. These include side effects of the anesthetic, breathing problems, infection, and bleeding.
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