Appendix Procedures
What Is Appendicitis?
Appendectomy
Incision Care: Abdomen
What Is Appendicitis?
Location of appendix
A normal appendix
An inflamed appendix
Your side may hurt so much that you called your doctor. Or maybe you went straight to the hospital emergency room. If the symptoms came on quickly, you may have appendicitis. This is an infection of the appendix. Surgery can stop the infection and relieve your symptoms. Read on to learn more.
Your Appendix
The appendix is a hollow structure about the size of your little finger. It opens off the colon (large bowel). The purpose of the appendix is unclear. But if it is blocked, it may become infected.
Pain and Other Symptoms
Symptoms tend to appear quickly, often over a day or two. Symptoms can include:
- Pain that starts in the center of your belly and moves to your lower right side
- Increased pain and pressure on your side when you walk
- Vomiting, nausea, or decreased appetite
- Fever or fatigue
- Diarrhea or constipation
How Surgery Helps
Medication can’t cure appendicitis. But an appendectomy (surgery to remove an infected appendix) can. This is a very common procedure. Removing the appendix should not affect your long-term health. It’s best to remove the appendix before it bursts. If an infected or burst appendix is not removed, it can cause severe health problems.
Appendectomy
The goal of appendectomy is to remove the appendix safely. In most cases, the surgery lasts from 30–60 minutes. If your appendix has burst, surgery may take longer.
Before Surgery
You may receive fluids, antibiotics, and other medications through an IV (intravenous) line. Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any medications. An anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist will give you general anesthesia just before your appendectomy. This keeps you pain-free and allows you to sleep during the surgery.
Reaching the Appendix
One of two techniques may be used to reach the appendix. Dr. Costa will discuss which is best for you.
- Open surgery: One incision (about 2 to 3 inches long) is made in your lower right side. A bigger incision may be used if the appendix has burst. Recently Open Surgery has shown little difference from Laparoscopic Surgery with respect to healing time. Open Surgery has also been shown to be more economical for hospitals.
- Laparoscopic surgery: From 2 to 4 small incisions are used. One is near your bellybutton. The others are elsewhere on your abdomen. A laparoscope, a thin tube with a camera attached, is inserted through one incision. The camera shows the inside of your abdomen on a monitor. This image helps guide the surgery. Surgical tools are inserted in the other incisions.
Finishing the Surgery
In most cases, the entire incision is closed with stitches or staples. Your surgeon may place a temporary drain in the wound or in the abdomen. This helps cure or prevent infection. If your appendix has burst, the outer layers of the incision may be left open. This lets the incision drain more easily. It may heal on its own, or be closed about 5 days later.
Risks and Complications
- Infection or bleeding from the incision site
- Infection or swelling in the abdomen, or leakage of bowel material
- Bowel ileus (slowness of bowel muscles) or bowel blockage
- Problems from anesthesia
Incision Care: Abdomen
Dressing your incision helps keep it clean, dry, and infection-free. That way it will heal faster. Follow the steps below.
1. Wash Your Hands and Set Up
- Use liquid soap. Lather for 1–2 minutes. Scrub between your fingers and under your nails.
- Rinse with warm water, keeping fingers pointing down. Use a clean paper towel to dry your hands and turn off the faucet.
- Put all your supplies on a clean cloth or paper towel. Open a plastic trash bag.
- Peel back the edges of the dressing packages. Pour any irrigation solutions into solution cups.
- Clean the scissors with soap and water. Cut each piece of tape 4 inches longer than the dressing.
2. Remove the Old Dressing
- Put on disposable gloves.
- Loosen the tape by pulling gently toward the incision. Remove the dressing one layer at a time. Put it right into the plastic bag.
- Remove your gloves and put them in the plastic bag. Wash your hands. Then put on new gloves.
3. Clean and Dress the Incision
- Clean the incision and apply a new dressing as directed.
- Put all used supplies in the plastic bag. Remove your gloves last and put them in the bag. Seal the bag and put it in the trash. Be sure to wash your hands again.
Call Your Doctor If You Have:
- Bleeding from the incision, or an increase in its size.
- Increased redness, swelling, or drainage.
- Pain in or around the incision.
- Change in the color of the incision.
- Fever over 101.0°F, or chills.