Appendicitis
Isabelle Mann
What is an Appendicitis?
Normal Body System Function
Body System Affected
Target Population
Onsets
Diagnosis
Signs and Symptoms
Although pain is almost always associated with an appendicitis, it is not the only sign patients experience. Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, swelling of the abdomen, constipation, diarrhea, and feeling ill or "under the weather" are all symptoms of an appendicitis. Sometimes, symptoms may differ in little children and pregnant women.
Treatment
There are two types of surgery that are usually performed; they are laparoscopic surgery and a single incision surgery. Laparoscopy is less invasive, while a single incision surgery is more commonly used for a ruptured appendix. Most patients recovery more quickly if the appendix has not ruptured before surgery.
Recently, more people have been treated successfully with antibiotics. Antibiotics are only used in cases where the appendix has not ruptured. There is a chance that an appendicitis could reoccur if only treated by antibiotics, but the chances are relatively low (one study out of Finland showed 73% of people treated with antibiotics did not have to undergo surgery the next year).
Prognosis
However, if the appendix is not treated, it could lead to problems. When a case of an appendicitis is not treated, the harmful bacteria leaks out of the appendix. This could cause a fatal condition called peritonitis, which is an infection of the peritoneum.
Connection
Works Cited
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