Chronic Appendicitis

Appendicitis. Chronic appendicitis

The appendix is a small cylindrical organ attached to the large intestine. The length of the appendix is on average 10 centimeters, and its contents are removed into the large intestine. However, sometimes this process begins to proceed more difficult. As a consequence, the appendix accumulates food residues, which, in turn, causes obturation. What happens next? The appendix is inflamed, and the mucus and pus contained in it become infected. Such infection can cause sepsis, which with a rather high probability can lead to no less than a lethal outcome.

According to the results of numerous studies conducted by both Russian and foreign scientists, it was revealed that the risk of developing acute appendicitis during life is 8.6 percent for men and 6.7 percent for women, respectively. In other words, about 7% of the population has every chance of experiencing appendicitis, sooner or later. However, young people have much better chances. Most often, appendicitis is manifested at the age of 10 to 30 years.

Chronic appendicitis is a form of inflammation of the caecum, an appendix. Its only difference from acute appendicitis is that the chronic form of the disease does not require emergency medical intervention. The pain caused by chronic appendicitis grows gradually, which is associated with the inflammation of the appendix, which, in turn, is expressed in the form of some discomfort in the lower right side of the abdominal cavity. In this case, the appendix is really inflamed. But, unlike acute appendicitis, is not yet infected. However, in any case, leaving such a condition without treatment is not recommended, since appendicitis may well go from chronic to acute.

Chronic appendicitis. Diagnostics

With chronic appendicitis, the symptoms are much less noticeable and obvious, and therefore they are often not noticed. The disease develops slowly. Tomography of the abdominal cavity can only reveal some abnormalities of the contents of the appendix and progressive swelling.

Symptoms of chronic appendicitis

• Nausea.
• Loss of appetite.
• Violations of the stool.
• Sensitivity of the lower right side of the abdomen.
• Moderate pain in the abdomen.
• Occasional strong urges to defecate or urinate.

Treatment of chronic appendicitis

If the patient has moderate pain, as well as signs of the transition of the disease into acute form, first of all, at the beginning of treatment of appendicitis, anesthetics are prescribed.
To prevent the development of the disease and infection, extremely powerful antibiotics are used.
Another option for the treatment of chronic appendicitis is the preventive removal of the appendix (vermiform appendage), which is aimed at avoiding possible future complications - for example, appendix rupture.

Forecast
Most patients with appendectis inflammation quickly recover to normal after surgery. However, with delayed treatment or development of peritonitis, complications are also possible. The length of the recovery period depends on the age, condition, complications and a number of other circumstances, including even the addiction of the patient to alcohol. The average recovery time is from 10 to 28 days. For children about 10 years, the recovery will take three weeks.
The non-illusory probability of life-threatening peritonitis is the reason why acute appendicitis requires an urgent assessment of the patient's condition and taking measures to treat it. In some cases, medical evacuation may even be required. Appendectomy can also be carried out outside hospitals, if the situation so requires.