What Is Appendicitis?
Appendicitis is a condition wherein your appendix, a tiny tube-shaped organ near your large intestine, becomes inflamed. Subsequently, the organ fills up with bacteria and pus. This can be a dangerous condition. If the appendix fills up and bursts, the resulting flow of material can infiltrate the abdominal cavity and cause peritonitis. This can be fatal.
What Causes Appendicitis?
This condition occurs when an infection in the appendix causes the buildup of bacteria and tremendous inflammation. Many people live their whole lives without ever getting a serious appendix infection, so appendicitis is never a concern. If it does happen, however, you must treat it urgently because of its potentially fatal consequences.
Treatment for Appendicitis
Although draining the appendix can be an option, in most cases, the best course of action when dealing with appendicitis is surgery to remove it, called an appendectomy. Since the appendix serves no vital function, removing it should have no negative consequences. At Surgical Services of Athens, we often perform a laparoscopic appendectomy, which means that we need only make very small incisions to allow us to insert a laparoscopic camera and a few other small surgical tools. This is great for patients because it means lower skin infection risk and faster, less painful recovery. We especially recommend this technique for older and overweight appendicitis patients.
Appendicitis Care in Alabama With Surgical Services of Athens
For over 20 years, residents of Athens, Huntsville, Madison and surrounding areas have put their trust in us for all their surgical needs. We combine years of experience with an understanding of the most modern surgical techniques to provide our patients with the best possible outcomes. If you think you are suffering from appendicitis in Alabama, call us at 256-216-6500 or come to us for treatment immediately.
