The appendix;
is half a centimeter wide and contains an extension called the lumen. Inflammation of appendicitis usually occurs with obstruction of this lumen. As a result of the closure of the lumen's connection with the intestine, appendicitis expands and may cause bursting due to impaired circulation. The appendix or appendix is located on the lower right side of the body and its function or function is not known exactly.
Although appendicitis usually occurs during adolescence, it is among the health problems frequently encountered in childhood and adulthood. Symptoms of appendicitis can often be confused with gastroenteritis (intestinal infection) or urinary tract infection. For this reason, often pediatric patients are treated incorrectly and given antibiotics or drugs used to treat gastroenteritis or urinary tract infection. Since the drug treatment applied will not be effective on appendicitis, it may burst after a while. Since it is difficult to diagnose appendicitis problems in children, it is one of the conditions that require emergency intervention in childhood.
Types of Appendicitis Inflammation
There are different types of appendicitis inflammation:
Plastrone appendicitis
Periappendicular abscess
Perforated appendicitis and peritonitis
Among the types of appendicitis, the treatment of all types except plastron appendicitis is surgical intervention. In some cases, drug treatment can be applied before surgical intervention in the type of plastron appendicitis and periappendicular abscess.
What Causes Appendicitis Inflammation?
The most important factor of appendicitis inflammation is the obstruction of the extension called the lumen, which is connected to the cecum, located between the large intestine and the small intestine. Conditions that can cause lumen occlusion are listed below:
Buildup of hardened stools
Some parasites, such as intestinal worms or intestinal worms
stones in the intestine
Enlargement of glands that can form around the intestine
The occluded lumen may swell and burst. A ruptured appendix can be life-threatening, so it is extremely important to treat ruptured appendicitis immediately. Another cause of appendicitis inflammation is the working system of the intestine. Appendicitis, which develops due to the working order of the intestine, usually occurs in pediatric patients.
What Are the Symptoms of Appendicitis?
Severe abdominal pain is the most prominent among the symptoms of appendicitis. Abdominal pain in the right lower abdomen can be so severe that it restricts daily routine movements such as walking, sitting, and standing. Since children may have difficulty in expressing the abdominal pain they experience, great attention should be paid to the symptoms of appendicitis seen in them. Symptoms of appendicitis include;
Increasing pain in the lower right abdomen
nausea or vomiting
High fever
Abdominal bloating
Loss of appetite
Diarrhea
Constipation
Farting
There is severe pain in the lower right abdomen that occurs when coughing, sneezing or breathing deeply.
What are Appendicitis Diagnostic Methods?
Appendicitis problems can sometimes be difficult to diagnose as symptoms of different diseases are similar. Therefore, symptoms of appendicitis can be confused with symptoms of kidney stones or diseases of the bladder, urinary tract, gallbladder, and ovaries, making the diagnosis of appendicitis-related disease difficult. One of the most important factors in the diagnosis of appendicitis is the person's complaints. At the diagnosis stage, the physician performs a physical examination after listening to the patient and checks the right lower abdomen. If the physician suspects appendicitis after a physical examination, he or she may refer to imaging modalities such as computed tomography, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), and abdominal ultrasound to clarify the diagnosis. He or she may also order some blood tests to check for an increase in the white blood cell count, which indicates inflammation in the blood.
What are the Treatment Methods for Appendicitis?
Emergency intervention is very important in cases where appendicitis is suspected or appendicitis burst. With the eruption of appendicitis, the microbes in it spread into the abdomen and after a while, the patient may experience abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, increased inflammation in the blood, weakness, high fever and low blood pressure, or septic shock. Therefore, appendicitis should be removed from the body as soon as possible.
Among the treatment methods of appendicitis problems, the first preferred method is the surgical removal of the appendix, also known as appendectomy. The appendectomy method can be performed in two different ways as closed surgery (laparoscopy) or open surgery. Depending on the patient's health status, the physician decides which surgical method to choose. In the appendectomy method, the inflamed appendix is removed. The inflamed area filled into the abdomen is washed and cleaned and the area is closed. With the small surgical tube called a drain, which is inserted during the operation, the fluid accumulation that fills the body cavity is thrown out. Although patients who have appendicitis surgery usually return to their normal life within 4 or 5 days, the full recovery process may take 3 to 4 weeks.