Appendicitis
This can be a medical emergency. Seek urgent medical care for worsening lower-right abdominal pain, especially with fever or vomiting.
Inflammation of the appendix, a small pouch attached to the large intestine. It is the most common abdominal surgical emergency; if untreated, the appendix can burst.
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What happens in the body
Obstruction of the appendix opening (by hardened stool or swollen lymphoid tissue) lets bacteria multiply, the wall swells and loses blood supply, and it may perforate.
Causes
- Blockage of the appendix lumen by a faecolith or lymphoid hyperplasia
Risk factors
- Age 10–30
- Family history
Symptoms
- Pain starting around the navel then moving to the lower right abdomen
- Pain worse with movement, coughing or walking
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Low-grade fever
Diagnosis — tests and examinations
- Clinical examination (tenderness at McBurney's point)
- Blood tests (white cells, CRP)
- Ultrasound (children, pregnancy) or CT
- Alvarado score
- Pregnancy test in women
Treatment
Medicines and medical treatment
- Intravenous antibiotics; antibiotics alone may treat selected uncomplicated cases
Operations and procedures
- Laparoscopic appendicectomy (standard)
- Drainage of an abscess
Self-care, home remedies and lifestyle
- Do not eat, drink or take laxatives while waiting to be assessed
Possible complications
- Perforation and peritonitis
- Abscess
- Sepsis
Prevention
- No reliable prevention
Outlook
Excellent with prompt surgery; most people go home within 1–2 days.
When to see a doctor
Seek urgent medical care for worsening lower-right abdominal pain, especially with fever or vomiting.
Sources and further reading
These sources cover this condition. They have not been checked against every statement on this page.
Related conditions
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