Appendicitis is a fairly common disease in childhood and often requires the use of a scalpel. Here are Dr. Franco Caravati’s explanations
The cecal or vermiform appendix (or simply appendix) is an organ located in the abdomen. It has a certain importance for children, because they are inside it lymphatic tissues which help to strengthen the immune system. For adults, however, it is completely superfluous. TO any age, even if predominantly in childhood and adolescenceit can become inflamed, giving rise toappendicitiswhich often requires surgery.
symptoms and causes
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Shaped like a worm, the appendix represents the initial part of the large intestine. It is about 10 centimeters long and has a diameter of approximately 5 millimeters. Two out of every 1,000 people are operated on for appendicitis, which is more common in men. The hallmark symptom of this disease is a abdominal pain which generally occurs at the level of the stomach or navel and then locates in the lower part of the abdomen, on the right side. “Often the pain is associated with the feverwith the body temperature rising but not excessively, usually reaching 38-38.5 degrees” adds the Doctor Franco Caravati, head of the General Surgery Service of the Villa Aprica Clinical Institute in Como. Frequently the inflammation of the appendix also involves nausea, vomiting and intestinal problems, which can present both in the form of constipation and in the form of diarrhea. To cause appendicitis is the proliferation of bacteria that live inside this organ, which can be determined by various factors.
beware of peritonitis
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The pain that appendicitis causes almost always prompts you to go to the emergency room. The diagnosis is essentially clinical and is mainly based on themedical history and onobjective examination by the doctor. “The presence of pain in the right iliac fossa and fever, especially if the victim is a child, are typical signs of inflammation of the appendix” continues Dr. Caravati. Also, some blood tests may be helpful, which generally indicate a increase in inflammatory indices (C-reactive protein, ESR and white blood cells). Rarely, especially in the case of girls, an abdominal ultrasound can be useful to notice any problems with the right ovary and thus make a differential diagnosis. Appendicitis should not be neglected because it can give rise to serious complications. In fact, it can form a appendiceal abscess, i.e. the collection of pus around this organ. The situation is more serious when the appendicitis ruptures, causing a peritonitisluckily less frequent occurrence.
how to change your diet
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It is only when appendicitis involves modest pain and fever that surgery is unnecessary. In these cases, treatment based on antibiotics to be taken by mouth, while following a light diet, which provides for the exclusion of foods that ferment in the intestine (legumes, aged cheeses…). In all other cases, the appendix must be surgically removed. You can operate both “open abdomen”, through a cut of a few centimeters, or through videolaparoscopy, which involves three small incisions on the abdomen. In the absence of peritonitis, discharge occurs the day after the operation. Once home, a light diet should be followed for three or four days, avoiding fruits and vegetables. After this period, nutrition can return to normal. Also, after the operation, for a month it is advisable not to play sports. “If this indication is not respected, there is a risk that hernias will form in correspondence with the cut or incisions because the tissues have not been given the necessary time to heal” concludes Dr. Caravati.
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