Appendicitis

Since symptoms like stomach pain, indigestion, constipation, and vomiting can be caused by a number of conditions, you may not think about appendicitis right away. But when over-the-counter heartburn or gas medication doesn’t ease your symptoms, or if you have an acute pain behind your belly button or in your lower right abdomen, seek help. Catching appendicitis before the organ bursts is important and can save your life. Count on us to assess you quickly, efficiently, and effectively. And since appendicitis is tricky to pin down, when we suspect the appendix is the root of the problem, we use a number of comprehensive tests to get an accurate diagnosis, including:

• Abdominal Ultrasound to View the Appendix
• Blood Tests to Check for High White Blood Cell Counts and Infection
• CT Scan to Get a Complete Look at the Abdomen
• Lower Gastrointestinal Series (Barium Enema) to View the Small Intestine with X-Ray Images
• Urine Tests to Rule Out Urinary-Tract Infections

You try to be proactive about your digestive health by eating healthy, exercising, and taking daily vitamins. But no matter how healthy you are, appendicitis is an unpredictable and unpreventable condition. That’s why it’s important to understand your symptoms. Noticing a pain in your right side or behind your belly button, a dull fever, or constipation can help us diagnose your condition. There are a few different types of appendicitis, including:

• Acute appendicitis shows sudden, more serious symptoms that occur over the course of 24 to 48 hours and requires quick treatment.
• Chronic appendicitis causes mild symptoms that last longer and could lead to acute appendicitis.
• Gangrenous appendicitis is an inflamed appendix with dead tissue.
• Stump appendicitis is rare, occurring in any remaining appendix tissue after a previous appendectomy.

When your appendix is infected and inflamed, there's no time to waste — you'll need appendicitis treatment immediately. In some cases, antibiotics can be used to fight off an infection of the appendix. But more commonly, we’ll recommend surgery. Appendectomies, or removals of the appendix, are among the most-common emergency surgical procedures. Within our system of care, our surgeons are highly experienced at both open and laparoscopic appendectomies. Getting an organ removed can be concerning, but appendix removal is relatively simple and will help to ease your pain so you can resume your everyday life.

An open appendectomy is the traditional procedure, where the surgeon removes the organ through a three-inch incision in your abdomen. With newer, more-innovative technology available, we can also perform the surgery with a minimally invasive (laparoscopic) procedure. You'll leave the hospital with only three small scars and enjoy a faster recovery time. In many cases, you will likely be able to go home the same day as your laparoscopic procedure. Afterwards, trust us to lead you back to a life of wellness with compassionate support, experienced guidance, and whole-person care.