Appendicitis

This is a very common condition where there is inflammation of your appendix organ

The appendix is a vestigial organ in humans and in located arising from bowel portion called as caecum. It also marks the junction between the large and the small bowel

This condition occurs mainly in young teenagers and adults but can occur in the elderly as well

If it occurs in elderly, we need to rule out underlying bowel conditions like polyps colitis or cancer of the bowel

Some causes are known like faecoliths and more common in patients who are constipated but in most patients no obvious cause is known

The most common symptoms are

Clinical examination with tenderness and guarding on the right side of patients can diagnose the conditions in most patients and no further test are required

In females it is important to rule out ectopic pregnancy

CT scan is the investigation of choice where diagnosis is not clear

This is the treatment of choice in most patients

In case there is a lump or chronic condition they can be managed conservatively

Surgery is generally done laparoscopically