What are the early signs of appendicitis in kids. How is appendicitis diagnosed in children. When should parents seek medical care for suspected appendicitis. What complications can occur if appendicitis is left untreated. How is appendicitis treated in pediatric patients.

Understanding Appendicitis: A Common Pediatric Emergency

Appendicitis is a medical condition that occurs when the appendix becomes blocked and infected. This small, finger-shaped organ is attached to the large intestine in the lower right side of the abdomen. While it may seem like a minor part of the body, appendicitis can quickly escalate into a serious medical emergency if left untreated.

Primarily affecting children and teens between the ages of 5 and 20, appendicitis requires prompt medical attention. The condition is rare in infants but can occur at any age. Understanding the signs, symptoms, and treatment options is crucial for parents and caregivers to ensure timely intervention.

Causes and Risk Factors of Appendicitis in Children

The primary cause of appendicitis is a blockage in the appendix that leads to bacterial overgrowth and infection. Several factors can contribute to this blockage:

• Hard, rock-like stool
• Swollen lymph nodes in the intestines
• Parasites and other infections

It’s important to note that appendicitis is not contagious, so children cannot contract it from someone else who has the condition.

Are certain children more susceptible to appendicitis?

While appendicitis can affect anyone, it is most common in children and teens between 5 and 20 years old. There is no known way to prevent appendicitis, but prompt medical care can prevent complications.

Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of Appendicitis

Early detection of appendicitis is crucial for effective treatment. The initial symptoms may be subtle and easily mistaken for a common stomachache. However, as the condition progresses, the signs become more distinct and severe.

What are the early warning signs of appendicitis in children?

Parents should be vigilant for the following symptoms:

• Mild fever
• Pain around the belly button that intensifies and moves to the lower right side
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea (often in small amounts with mucus)
• Swollen belly

As the condition worsens, children may experience more severe symptoms, including:

• Strong, steady pain in the lower right abdomen
• High fever (up to 104°F or 40°C)
• Widespread abdominal pain (which may indicate a ruptured appendix)

Diagnosing Appendicitis: Challenges and Procedures

Diagnosing appendicitis in children can be challenging, as its symptoms often mimic other medical conditions such as kidney stones, pneumonia, or urinary tract infections. Doctors employ a combination of physical examination and diagnostic tests to confirm the presence of appendicitis.

How do doctors diagnose appendicitis in pediatric patients?

The diagnostic process typically involves:

1. Physical examination of the abdomen for signs of pain and tenderness
2. Blood tests to check for signs of infection
3. Urine tests to rule out urinary tract infections
4. Imaging studies, which may include:
   • X-rays of the abdomen and chest
   • Ultrasound
   • CT scan

During the diagnostic process, doctors may advise against giving the child food or drink, as this could complicate potential surgery if needed.

Treatment Options for Pediatric Appendicitis

Once appendicitis is diagnosed, prompt treatment is essential to prevent complications. The primary treatment for appendicitis is surgical removal of the infected appendix, known as an appendectomy.

What does appendicitis treatment involve for children?

The treatment process typically includes:

1. Surgical intervention:
   • Laparoscopic appendectomy (minimally invasive procedure)
   • Open appendectomy (for complicated cases)
2. Intravenous (IV) fluids to prevent dehydration
3. Antibiotics before and after surgery to combat infection
4. Pain management as needed

Most children who undergo a laparoscopic appendectomy can return home after a day in the hospital. However, those with a ruptured appendix may require a longer hospital stay to ensure proper healing and to prevent complications.

Potential Complications of Untreated Appendicitis

Appendicitis is a serious condition that can lead to severe complications if left untreated. Understanding these risks emphasizes the importance of seeking immediate medical attention when appendicitis is suspected.

What are the risks of delaying treatment for appendicitis?

Untreated appendicitis can lead to:

• Appendix rupture: This can occur within 48 to 72 hours after symptoms begin
• Peritonitis: Infection spreading throughout the abdominal cavity
• Abscess formation: Collection of pus in the abdomen
• Sepsis: A life-threatening systemic infection

These complications can significantly increase the complexity of treatment and recovery time, underscoring the need for prompt medical intervention.

Recovery and Follow-up Care After Appendicitis Treatment

After an appendectomy, children typically experience a smooth recovery process. However, proper follow-up care is essential to ensure complete healing and prevent any post-surgical complications.

What should parents expect during their child’s recovery from appendicitis?

The recovery process generally involves:

• Short hospital stay (usually 1-2 days for uncomplicated cases)
• Pain management with prescribed medications
• Gradual return to normal activities (usually within 1-2 weeks)
• Follow-up appointments to monitor healing
• Continued antibiotic treatment if there was a ruptured appendix

Parents should monitor their child for signs of infection or other complications during the recovery period and report any concerns to their healthcare provider promptly.

Preventing Appendicitis: Is It Possible?

While appendicitis cannot be prevented, understanding the condition and recognizing its symptoms can lead to early detection and treatment, minimizing the risk of complications.

Are there any measures to reduce the risk of appendicitis in children?

Although there is no guaranteed way to prevent appendicitis, some general health practices may contribute to overall digestive health:

• Maintaining a healthy diet rich in fiber
• Staying hydrated
• Practicing good hygiene to prevent infections
• Regular physical activity

While these measures promote general health, they do not specifically prevent appendicitis. The key to managing this condition lies in early recognition and prompt medical care.

Appendicitis remains a common and potentially serious condition affecting children and teens. By understanding its symptoms, causes, and treatment options, parents and caregivers can ensure that affected children receive timely and appropriate care. While the prospect of surgery can be daunting, modern medical techniques have made appendectomy a safe and effective procedure with excellent outcomes in most cases. Remember, when it comes to suspected appendicitis, it’s always better to err on the side of caution and seek medical attention promptly. Your child’s health and well-being depend on quick action and proper medical care.

Appendicitis In Kids and Teens (for Parents)

en español: La apendicitis en niños y adolescentes

Medically reviewed by: Ryan J. Brogan, DO

Primary Care Pediatrics at Nemours Children’s Health

What Is Appendicitis? 

Appendicitis is when the appendix gets blocked and becomes infected.

The appendix is a small organ attached to the large intestine in the lower right side of the belly.

Appendicitis is an emergency. It’s important to know what to look for and get medical care right away.

What Causes Appendicitis?

When the appendix gets blocked, too much bacteria can grow and cause an infection. Some of the things that might block the appendix are:

• hard, rock-like stool (poop)
• swollen lymph nodes in the intestines
• parasites and other infections

Appendicitis is not contagious. Kids can’t catch it from someone who has it.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Appendicitis?

The first signs of appendicitis are often a mild fever and pain around the belly button. It might seem like just a stomachache. But with appendicitis, the pain usually gets worse and moves to the lower right side of the belly.

If your child has belly pain, be on the lookout for these signs of appendicitis: 

• strong pain, mainly around the belly button or in the lower right part of the belly (the pain might come and go at first, then grow steady and intense)
• low-grade fever
• loss of appetite
• nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting (throwing up)
• diarrhea (especially small amounts, with mucus)
• swollen belly

If pain spreads across the belly, it may mean the appendix has burst. Doctors call this ruptured appendicitis, and it’s serious. A high fever reaching 104°F (40°C) is another sign of a burst appendix. 

Call your doctor right away if you think your child has appendicitis. The sooner it’s caught, the easier it will be to treat.

What Problems Can Happen With Appendicitis?

If an infected appendix isn’t removed, it has the potential to burst about 48 to 72 hours after symptoms first start. This can spread
bacteriainside the body. The infection might form a large collection of pus (an abscess) or spread throughout the belly.

Who Gets Appendicitis?

Appendicitis mostly affects kids and teens between 5 and 20 years old. It is rare in infants.

How Is Appendicitis Diagnosed?

The symptoms of appendicitis can be a lot like those of other medical problems (like kidney stones, pneumonia, or a urinary tract infection). So it can be a challenge for doctors to diagnose.

To find out if a child has appendicitis, a doctor will examine the belly for signs of pain and tenderness. The doctor will order blood tests and urine tests. Some kids also get an X-ray of the abdomen and chest, an ultrasound, or a CAT scan.

The medical team may tell you not to give your child any food or drink. This is in case your child needs surgery.

How Is Appendicitis Treated?

A surgeon will operate to take out the infected appendix. This is called an appendectomy. Most of the time, surgeons use a small device called a laparoscope to remove the appendix through a small cut on the belly. Kids who get this surgery usually stay in the hospital for a day.

The care team may give your child intravenous (IV) fluids and antibiotics before and after surgery. This helps prevent problems such as an infection. Kids get pain medicine if they need it.

A child who had a burst appendix might need to stay in the hospital longer after an appendectomy. That gives the antibiotics time to kill any bacteria that spread into the body.

Can Appendicitis Be Prevented?

There is no way to prevent appendicitis. But when kids get the right medical care quickly, doctors usually find and treat it without problems.

Medically reviewed by: Ryan J. Brogan, DO

Date reviewed: April 2022

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Appendicitis | Johns Hopkins Medicine

What is appendicitis?

The appendix is a thin tube that is joined to the large intestine. It sits in the lower right part of your belly (abdomen). When you are a young child, your appendix is a working part of your immune system, which helps your body to fight disease. When you are older, your appendix stops doing this and other parts of your body keep helping to fight infection.

The appendix can get infected. If not treated it can burst (rupture). This can happen as soon as 48 to 72 hours after you have symptoms. Because of this, appendicitis is a medical emergency. If you have symptoms, see a doctor right away to avoid more infection, which can be life-threatening.

What causes appendicitis?

Appendicitis happens when the inside of your appendix is blocked. Appendicitis may be caused by various infections such as virus, bacteria, or parasites, in your digestive tract. Or it may happen when the tube that joins your large intestine and appendix is blocked or trapped by stool. Sometimes tumors can cause appendicitis.

The appendix then becomes sore and swollen. The blood supply to the appendix stops as the swelling and soreness get worse. Without enough blood flow, the appendix starts to die. The appendix can burst or develop holes or tears in its walls, which allow stool, mucus, and infection to leak through and get inside the belly. The result can be peritonitis, a serious infection.

Who is at risk for appendicitis?

Appendicitis affects 1 in 1,000 people living in the U.S. Most cases of appendicitis happen to people between the ages of 10 and 30 years. Having a family history of appendicitis may raise your risk, especially if you are a man. For a child, having cystic fibrosis also seems to raise the risk of getting appendicitis.

What are the symptoms of appendicitis?

The following are common symptoms of appendicitis. Your own symptoms may vary.

Pain in the abdomen is the most common symptom. This pain:

• May start in the area around your belly button and move to the lower right-hand side of your belly. It may also start in the lower right-hand side of your belly.
• Often gets worse as time goes on.
• May feel worse when you are moving, taking deep breaths, being touched, and coughing or sneezing.
• May be felt all over your belly if your appendix bursts.

Other common symptoms include:

• Upset stomach and vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Fever and chills
• Trouble having a bowel movement (constipation)
• Loose stool (diarrhea)
• Trouble passing gas
• Swollen belly

Do not take pain medicines. They may hide other symptoms your healthcare provider needs to know about.

Appendicitis symptoms may look like other health problems. Always see your healthcare provider to be sure.

How is appendicitis diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will ask about your past health and do a physical exam. He or she may also have you take the following tests:

• Blood tests: To check for signs of infection, such as having a high white blood cell count.
• Urine tests: To see if you have a urinary tract infection.

You may also have some imaging tests, including:

• Abdominal ultrasound: Lets the doctor see internal organs as they work and checks how blood is flowing through different blood vessels.
• CT scan: Shows detailed images of any part of the body, such as the bones, muscles, fat, and organs.
• MRI: Sometimes used to diagnose appendicitis, especially in a pregnant woman, instead of CT scan.

How is appendicitis treated?

Appendicitis is a medical emergency. It is likely the appendix will burst and cause a serious, deadly infection. For this reason, in almost all situations, your healthcare provider will advise that you have surgery to remove your appendix.

The appendix may be removed in an open procedure or using laparoscopy:

• Open (traditional) surgery method. You are given anesthesia. A cut (incision) is made in the lower right-hand side of your belly. The surgeon finds the appendix and takes it out. If the appendix has burst, a small tube (shunt) may be placed to drain out pus and other fluids in the belly. The shunt will be taken out in a few days, when your surgeon feels the infection has gone away.
• Laparoscopic method. You are given anesthesia. This surgery uses several small cuts (incisions) and a camera (laparoscope) to look inside your belly. The surgical tools are placed through a few small incisions. The laparoscope is placed through another incision. A laparoscopy can often be done even if the appendix has burst.

If your appendix has not burst then your recovery from an appendectomy will only take a few days. If your appendix has burst, your recovery time will be longer and you will  need antibiotic medicine.

You can live a normal life without your appendix. Changes in diet or exercise are usually not needed.

Complications of Appendicitis

The main problem with appendicitis is the risk of a burst appendix. This may happen if the appendix is not removed quickly. A burst appendix can lead to infection in the belly, called peritonitis. Peritonitis can be very serious and even cause death if not treated right away.

Can appendicitis be prevented?

At this time, there is no known way to stop appendicitis from happening.

When should I call my healthcare provider?

If you have any of the symptoms of appendicitis listed above, call your healthcare provider right away. Or go to an emergency department. Appendicitis is a serious medical emergency. It should be treated as quickly as possible.

Key Points About Appendicitis

Appendicitis is when your appendix becomes sore, swollen, and diseased.

• It is a medical emergency. You must seek care right away.
• It happens when the inside of your appendix gets filled with something that causes it to swell, such as mucus, stool, or parasites.
• Most cases of appendicitis happen between the ages of 10 and 30 years.
• It causes pain in the belly, but each person may have different symptoms.
• Your health care provider will advise that you have surgery to remove your appendix.
• You can live a normal life without your appendix.

Next Steps

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:

• Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.
• Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your provider tells you.
• At the visit, write down the names of new medicines, treatments, or tests, and any new instructions your provider gives you.
• If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.
• Know how you can contact your provider if you have questions.

Which side is appendicitis

Appendicitis is an acute pathology that requires immediate surgical intervention. If steps are not taken to remove the appendix from the person’s body, life-threatening complications, such as peritonitis, can occur.

Inflammation can occur at any age, but is more common in people 10-19 years of age. The appendix of the large intestine becomes inflamed. The organ affects the functioning of the immune system and helps the body fight infection.

Causes of appendicitis

The exact causes of the development of the inflammatory process are still unclear. But there are several common options:

• Imbalance of microflora – bacteria, which in a normal environment are harmless, become poisonous and cause inflammation.

• Vasospasm – causes a deterioration in tissue nutrition. Some areas die off and become a focus of infection.

• Stagnation in the intestine – feces, foreign bodies, neoplasms or parasites can close the lumen of the appendix. At the site of closure, mucus accumulates, where the microbiome begins to multiply. The narrowing and squeezing of the process disrupts the processes of blood circulation, lymph flow, which leads to a rapid progression of inflammation and necrosis of the tissues of the appendix.

A predisposing factor will be frequent constipation, which form fecal stones.

Symptoms of appendicitis

The appendix is ​​located in the lower abdomen. The first symptom is unbearable pain that appears in the navel and extends to the lower right side of the abdomen. The pain gets worse in a short time, when moving, taking a deep breath, coughing or sneezing.

Other typical symptoms:

• nausea up to vomiting

• decreased or complete lack of appetite

• constipation or conversely diarrhea

• flatulence, painful bloating

• fever, chills, symptoms of intoxication

• urge to defecate

Signs of the inflammatory process of the appendix in men and women may differ. For example, women experience nausea, vomiting, and fever. At the beginning of the development of the disease, the pain is pressing, pulling, and even not necessarily on the right side, which can be mistakenly recognized as gynecological problems.

Then the pain can become cramping, such symptoms most often occur in the evening or at night.

In men with acute inflammation, there is severe pain in the abdomen, spontaneous pulling up of the right testicle. When pulling the scrotum, there is discomfort and pain in the anus and a pronounced urge to empty the intestines.

In older people, the symptoms of appendicitis may be less pronounced: minor pain, mild nausea. At the same time, appendicitis in the elderly is often characterized by a severe course and the development of complications.

In children under 5 years of age, the symptoms of appendicitis are not as pronounced as in adults. Pain often does not have a clear localization. You can recognize appendicitis in a small child by fever, diarrhea, and the presence of plaque on the tongue.

Types of pathology

Acute appendicitis – develops rapidly, is manifested by pronounced symptoms. With inaction, pain intensifies and inflammation can lead to serious complications.

By its nature, acute appendicitis can be complicated and uncomplicated. Uncomplicated pathology, in turn, has 2 forms: catarrhal (only the mucous membrane becomes inflamed), destructive (deeper layers are affected).

Chronic is a rather rare form. In most cases, it develops as a result of acute appendicitis in the absence of treatment. Has the same symptoms, but they manifest themselves very sluggishly. There are periods of exacerbation and remission, like any chronic disease.

Chronic appendicitis is also divided into subspecies:

• Residual – a consequence of acute appendicitis, which ended in self-healing. Manifested by dull aching pain in the right iliac region.

• Recurrent – is paroxysmal in nature: from time to time there are exacerbations, followed by remission.

• Primary chronic – develops independently, without the forerunner of acute appendicitis.

Diagnosis of appendicitis

The first thing the examination of the patient begins with is the examination and collection of anamnesis. The doctor asks to tell about when the symptoms appeared and how long the discomfort lasts. This is important to understand in order to distinguish the disease from something else.

It is important to consider other factors that could cause the development of appendicitis:

• Surgical operations in the abdomen, transferred in the recent past.

• Taking medications or supplements.

• Bad habits, abuse of alcohol, drugs, etc.

Feeling the abdomen will help determine the localization and intensity of pain, its characteristics. A pelvic and rectal examination may be needed. The final diagnosis is made only after the delivery of laboratory tests. Blood and urine tests can help detect signs of inflammation or other health problems.

Imaging methods may also be required – ultrasound of the abdominal organs, CT or MRI. They will allow:

• determine the condition of the appendix and assess its integrity

• detect signs of inflammation

• assess blockage within the appendix

• identify abscess or other complications

How to treat appendicitis?

Pathology requires immediate treatment, as the process may burst and its contents will spill into the abdominal cavity and peritonitis will begin. Therefore, the only solution is to remove the appendix surgically.

An appendectomy is a surgical operation to remove the appendix. It can be done in two ways:

1. classical – abdominal surgery

2. laparoscopic, when there are no large incisions

Abdominal surgery is performed in case of a rupture of the appendix and if its contents have spilled into the abdominal cavity, and also if the rupture has caused an abscess.

Laparoscopy is considered the most modern method of removing the appendix due to various reasons: less invasiveness, faster recovery, and fewer complications.

The operation is carried out as follows:

• the surgeon makes small incisions through which access to the appendix appears

• camera is introduced with backlight

• other tools remove the process

• areas are treated to decontaminate infectious material

• the operated area is examined, sutures are applied

Appendicitis prophylaxis

There is no special prevention, appendicitis can happen to anyone. It is best to give up bad habits, follow proper nutrition. A sufficient content of fiber, fresh vegetables and fruits, dairy products supports normal bowel function, prevents constipation.

Also, preventive measures include the timely treatment of any infectious and inflammatory diseases, gastrointestinal pathologies and helminthic invasions.

Treatment of appendicitis in Krasnoyarsk

To undergo the diagnosis and treatment of appendicitis, please contact the Mediunion Medical Center. We have experienced doctors who will conduct a complete examination and examination, friendly medical staff.

You can register in one of the ways convenient for you:

• Online on our website medyunion.ru. Fill out the electronic form, indicating your contact details, doctor’s specialization, convenient date and time for an appointment.

• Request a call back with your name and phone number. Our managers will call you back within 15 minutes and answer your questions.

• Call the medical clinic reception at +7 391 203-01-01.

Five tips on how to recognize appendicitis in time

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Tatyana Volodina

It is estimated that in our country acute appendicitis overtakes about a million people every year.

Mortality due to it seems to be low: only 0.2-0.3%, but such insignificant figures hide about 3,000 human lives that doctors cannot save. And in the summer, when many people are in their country houses and far from doctors, it is especially important to be able to distinguish appendicitis from ordinary abdominal pain in order to see a doctor in time.

Blind but dangerous

The appendix is ​​a short and thin blind appendix 7-10 cm long, located at the end of the caecum (the initial part of the large intestine). Like any part of the intestine, the appendix produces intestinal juice, but so little that it does not play a special role in digestion. Therefore, for a long time it was considered a “error of nature” and was removed by the sick at the first opportunity. But recently, scientists have found lymphoid cells in the blind process, the same as in the human tonsils. And since these cells have the ability to protect the body from infections, the assumption was born that the appendix is ​​part of the immune system.

However, the number of protective cells in it, as it turned out, is very small and cannot have a strong effect on immunity. So most experts are still sure that there is no benefit from the appendix, but the harm in case of its inflammation can be significant: acute appendicitis not diagnosed in time can cost not only health, but also life.

Are the teeth to blame?

Experts do not agree on the exact causes of appendicitis. However, risk groups are identified.

For example, people suffering from diseases such as chronic tonsillitis, pneumonia, prolonged colds, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, caries. As a result of these diseases, infections penetrate the bloodstream into the appendix and provoke an inflammatory process there. So healthy teeth – a guarantee of health for the appendix.

There is also a stress theory. It is based on the fact that as a result of excitement in a person there is a sharp narrowing of the blood vessels and this leads to a sudden bleeding of the appendix and the development of its inflammation.

But most often the occurrence of appendicitis is explained by blockage of the junction of the large intestine and the appendix, which often happens with constipation and chronic colitis.

How to identify him?

In most people, the appendix is ​​located about halfway between the navel and the right ilium. In this place, with appendicitis, the maximum pain is felt. But if the appendix is ​​raised to the right hypochondrium, closer to the liver, pain will appear in this area. And if the appendix is ​​lowered into the lower part of the pelvis, then in women, appendicitis is easily confused with inflammation of the appendages, in men – the bladder.

When the process is located behind the caecum, when it is wrapped to the kidney and ureter, there is pain in the lower back, it radiates to the groin, to the leg, to the pelvic area. If the process is directed inside the abdomen, then pains appear closer to the navel, in the middle section of the abdomen and even under the spoon.

Pain occurs suddenly, without any obvious cause . At first they are not too strong – they can still be tolerated. And sometimes, from the first minutes of an attack of acute appendicitis, they become unbearable and proceed like colic.

Pain will torment a person as long as the nerve endings of the process are alive. When its necrosis occurs, the nerve cells will die and the pain will subside. But this is no reason for reassurance. Appendicitis will not “resolve” . On the contrary, the retreat of pain is a reason for immediate hospitalization. Acute appendicitis is accompanied by other symptoms. At the beginning of the disease, there is a general malaise, weakness, appetite worsens. Nausea may soon occur, and sometimes vomiting, but only once. Typical temperature in the range of 37.2-37.7 degrees, sometimes accompanied by chills. A white or yellowish coating appears on the tongue.

Appendicitis can be recognized with simple tricks. But, keep in mind, self-diagnosis must be carried out very carefully.

1 . Lightly tap with the pad of a bent index finger in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe right iliac bone – with appendicitis, it always hurts there.

2 . For comparison, also tap on the left iliac region, which in case of inflammation of the appendix will not cause pain. Attention: you cannot palpate (palpation of the abdomen with your hands) yourself, there is a danger of tearing the appendix, which usually leads to peritonitis.

3. Try to cough loudly: increased pain in the right iliac region will tell you that you have appendicitis.

4 . Press lightly with the palm of your hand in the area of ​​the abdomen where it hurts the most. Hold your hand here for 5-10 seconds. This will ease the pain a bit. Now take your hand away. If pain appears at this point, this is a sign of acute appendicitis.

5 . Take the fetal position, that is, lie on your right side and pull your legs towards your torso. Appendicitis relieves abdominal pain. If you turn on your left side and straighten your legs, it will intensify. This is also a sign of acute appendicitis.

But the self-diagnosis should be limited to this. Do not hesitate to see a doctor, because appendicitis itself, and all the diseases that it can disguise as (renal colic, exacerbation of pancreatitis or cholecystitis, peptic ulcers of the stomach and duodenum, acute inflammation of the bladder, kidneys, female organs), require hospitalization!

How to treat

If acute appendicitis is diagnosed, the primary treatment is one – emergency surgery. Currently, there is a sparing laparoscopic method in which the appendix can be removed without a large incision. Unfortunately, in our country, this type of operation is not yet widespread due to the poor technical equipment of hospitals.

The main task of the postoperative period is to avoid complications, such as suppuration of the postoperative wound. In their occurrence most often there is no fault of the surgeon. And to be this complication or not to be, depends on the state of the appendix at the time of the operation – the greater the degree of inflammation, the higher the risk of suppuration.

If the operation was successful, young patients will have their sutures removed on the 6-7th day and discharged from the hospital. But for the elderly, as well as for chronic diseases (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiac ischemia, etc.), the stitches are removed 2-3 days later. After that, it is desirable to fasten the wound with adhesive tape.

Do not take a bath or go to the sauna for about a month: water and temperature loads on the fragile scar tissue make the seam rougher, wider and uglier. At least three months, and the elderly should not lift weights for six months. Avoid sports activities that cause tension in the abdominal muscles. Try not to catch a cold: it is dangerous for you to cough.

Severe case

If you try to “endure” appendicitis, you may experience peritonitis – inflammation of the abdominal cavity.