Appendicitis surgery in India

Overview

Appendix is a small, finger shaped, 3-1/2 inch long organ located in the first part of the large intestine, also known as colon. It is a vestigial organ, which means, it has no known function in the body and there are no apparent consequences when it is removed.

Appendicitis is a very common medical condition in which this small organ, appendix gets infected and inflamed. If left untreated, the inflamed appendix can burst or perforate and spill infectious matter in the abdominal cavity which can be fatal.

It is difficult to say what causes appendicitis, it can occur when it becomes blocked by stool or by a foreign body or because of cancer. It can also get inflamed because of infection because it is known to swell when there is infection in the body.

Appendicitis is very difficult to diagnose particularly in old age people and children. The person suffering from appendicitis may experience pain surrounding the belly button which is minimal at first but gradually becomes severe and sharp and most often the pain is radiated to the right side of lower abdomen and become localized.Other common symptoms are fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation and decreased appetite.

The only way to treat appendicitis is to remove the infected appendix as soon as diagnosed to prevent the rupture of the appendix inside the abdomen.

Surgery Options

Appendectomy refers to removal of the appendix, which is the standard medical treatment to treat appendicitis. The surgery should be done at the earliest upon diagnosis to prevent the rupture of the appendix. Appendectomy can be done using either of the two surgical interventions mentioned below.

Laparotomy or open appendectomy
In this the appendix is removed by making single and large incision on the right side of the lower abdomen. The reason for opting the open surgery are;
- If extensive infection is present
- If the patient is obese
- Any history of other abdominal surgery
- Perforating appendix
- Bleeding problems
Laparoscopic appendectomy
This is the most preferred surgical procedure as it is minimally invasive and offers quicker recover, less scarring and shorter hospital stay as compared to standard approach. In this the appendix is accessed and removed using specialized surgical instruments through several small incisions thus minimizing the risk of infection and scarring with better recovery.

Candidates

If you are diagnosed with the infection or inflammation of the appendix or if you have the symptoms of appendicitis then it is important for you to undergo surgery at the earliest.

Procedure

This a very low risk surgical procedure done under general anaesthesia.

At first all the aseptic precautions are taken following which the surgeon makes few small incisions of about 0.5-1 cm in the skin of your lower right part of the abdomen to let the surgical instruments reach the abdominal cavity. Then a tube is inserted which blows mild stream of Carbon Dioxide which aids in separation of the abdominal wall from the underlying organs. Also, the small camera which is attached to the laparoscope is put inside through one of the incision for the surgeon to see the images on the monitor.

Then using trocars and cannulas which are the specialized surgical instruments, the appendix is held and clamped from its base and removed. After removing the instruments the incisions are closed and dressed.

Recovery

Recovery is faster with laparoscopic appendectomy as compared with the open surgery. You would be discharged after 1-2 days of the operation. You would need to stay for about a week in India after the surgery to make sure you are on the right healing path before you go back. You thus need about 10 days to get appendicitis operation in India before you can go back. You can resume your normal activities within 2 weeks.

Expected Results

The results of the surgery are permanent. You can expect complete relief from the pain which you were having before the surgery.

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