Appendectomy Surgery at Reid Health

At Reid Health, the board-certified physicians at our General Surgery Center have specialized training in appendectomies to treat appendicitis. This common condition affects nearly 9% of men and 7% of women at some point in their lives. Patients throughout East Central Indiana and West Central Ohio trust our providers to deliver compassionate, comprehensive surgical care for appendicitis.

What is appendicitis?

The appendix is a small organ on the lower right side of your abdomen attached to the large intestine. Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes inflamed, usually because of an infection, inflammatory bowel disease, a blockage, or another cause. Appendicitis is the leading cause of acute abdominal pain requiring surgery in the United States.

The first symptoms of appendicitis include pain near the belly button. Although it can feel like a regular stomachache, appendicitis pain typically gets worse and moves to the lower right side of the stomach as it progresses. Other symptoms include:

· Abdominal pain that gets worse when you move, cough, sneeze, or take deep breaths

· Abdominal pain that keeps you up at night

· Loss of appetite

· Mild fever

· Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea

· Swollen stomach

Treatment for appendicitis

Appendicitis requires emergency care. Left untreated, it could cause your appendix to burst, potentially leading to complications. A burst appendix might lead to an abdominal infection called peritonitis or an appendiceal abscess, painful growths that develop after an infection.

In mild cases, your clinician may treat appendicitis with antibiotics only. If symptoms don't improve, you'll need surgery called an appendectomy to remove the appendix. People who receive only antibiotics can also develop appendicitis again.

Surgeons follow two main approaches to appendectomy — open and laparoscopic. Open appendectomy involves making one large cut in the lower right side of your stomach, below the belly button. Laparoscopic surgery, the most common procedure for appendicitis, uses smaller incisions.

Before surgery, you'll receive general anesthesia to fall asleep and experience no pain. If necessary, you may receive spinal anesthesia, which involves inserting medicine into your back to numb the lower half of your body and help you fall asleep.

Laparoscopic appendectomy

At Reid Health, general surgeons perform minimally invasive abdominal surgeries whenever possible.

During a laparoscopic appendectomy, your surgeon will make a small incision near the belly button to insert a thin tube called a laparoscope. This tool contains a small video camera and light, allowing your surgeon to see your appendix more easily. Your surgeon may also inject carbon dioxide gas into your stomach to make room to view and access your appendix.

The surgeon may need to make additional small incisions to remove the appendix. During this step, your surgeon will use stitches to tie off and remove the organ.

Like other forms of minimally invasive surgery, laparoscopic appendectomies often have fewer side effects and allow you to recover faster than open surgeries. Although rare, complications from laparoscopic surgeries can occur. They're the same as with open surgery and may include:

· Bleeding

· Blood clots

· Bowel problems

· Impact on surrounding structures (bladder, large intestine, small intestine)

· Infection at the surgical site

Recovering from an appendectomy

When finished with the procedure, the surgeon will close your incisions using surgical tape, glue, stitches, or staples. You may be allowed to leave the hospital on the day of your surgery, but if your appendix has burst, you may need to stay longer.

It's common to experience pain near the surgery site. The carbon dioxide gas can also cause shoulder pain. Additionally, the combination of surgery and anesthesia can cause nausea. These side effects tend to go away within 24 to 48 hours of your procedure.

You may be able to take over-the-counter pain relievers to handle any postsurgical pain. If those aren't effective, your surgeon may prescribe stronger medicine for a short period.

Many people recover from a laparoscopic appendectomy relatively soon. You may need to limit physical activity for three to five days, but you can choose to rest longer. You should feel free to go at your own pace and return to daily activities when you can. If your job requires heavy physical labor, check with your surgeon about when you can return to work. Open appendectomy typically involves a longer recovery time.

You'll have a follow-up physical exam with your surgeon about one to four weeks after your procedure. We will monitor your progress with recovery and detect any complications.

Trust Reid for appendectomies and abdominal surgeries

Reid's general surgeons work closely with the team at Reid Gastroenterology to ensure patients in East Central Indiana and West Central Ohio receive comprehensive, effective care for appendicitis. Contact us to learn more about abdominal surgeries or request an appointment with a general surgeon.