Did you know the first report of an appendectomy came from Amyan, a surgeon of the English
army, who performed an appendectomy in 1735 without anesthesia to remove a perforated
appendix?
Hi viewers and welcome back to Bestie!
Although appendicitis has decreased in recent years, it remains one of the more common surgical
emergencies.
In fact by the year 2019, the annual incidence of appendicitis was 10 cases per 100,000 population
or about 7 percent of the US population.
Appendectomy remains the most common procedure for treating appendicitis.
And in today’s video we will tell you everything that you need to know about appendectomy.
From recovery time, complications, risks involved to precautions to be taken and more, watch
till the end to learn about all of them.
What exactly is Appendectomy?
Your appendix is a narrow, finger-shaped organ located in the lower right side of the belly.
It is connected to the large intestine, and has little to no function in your body.
When your appendix becomes swollen, it needs to be removed.
An appendectomy is usually an emergency operation done to prevent the serious health problems
that can happen if an inflamed or infected appendix ruptures.
A rupture is a break or tear in the appendix.
If an infected appendix breaks open, infection and bowel movement may spread inside your
belly.
This can cause a life-threatening infection called peritonitis.
It is important to remove the appendix before the appendix ruptures.
If the appendix has ruptured, you may have an infected sore near the place where it ruptured.
You will have a special kind of X-ray called computed tomography, or CT, to help find the
abscess.
Your provider may drain the abscess before the actual appendectomy.
Once the infection and inflammation are under control, surgery will be done to remove what
is left of the ruptured appendix.
How Can You Prepare For An Appendectomy?
Usually an appendectomy is an emergency procedure and there is no time to prepare.
If you do have time to prepare before the surgery there are a few things that you should
keep in mind.
First, find someone to drive you home after the surgery.
Plan for your care and recovery after the operation.
Allow for time to rest.
Try to find people to help you with your day-to-day duties while you recover.
You should also try not smoking before and after the procedure.
Smokers heal more slowly after surgery and are more likely to have breathing problems
during surgery.
Secondly, before your surgery, stop taking any blood thinning medicines you may have
been taking.
The night before the procedure, eat a light meal such as soup and salad.
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight and the morning before the procedure.
Do not even drink coffee, tea, or water.
Follow any other instructions your provider gives you.
What Happens During The Procedure?
You will be given a general anesthetic.
A general anesthetic will relax your muscles and put you to sleep.
It will keep you from feeling pain during the operation.
The appendix may be removed with either open surgery or laparoscopic surgery.
If you have open surgery your surgeon will make a cut 2 to 3 inches long in your abdomen,
remove the appendix and close the wound.
If you have laparoscopic surgery, Instead of a cut 2 to 3 inches long, the surgeon will
make very small cuts in your belly.
The surgeon will put a tiny camera and tools through the small cuts to remove the appendix.
They will then close the cuts in your belly with stitches.
Sometimes appendectomy is done using a combination of procedure types.
In rare cases, a surgeon might start with the laparoscopic procedure but change to an
open procedure during surgery.
This can happen because the surgeon has trouble finding the appendix with the laparoscope
or previous surgeries might have left the patient with abdominal scar tissue that makes
it difficult to remove the appendix through laparoscopy.
If this happens, the surgeon will either close up the small incisions and immediately begin
the open appendectomy or end the surgery and reschedule the appendectomy.
Keep in mind, If you have laparoscopic surgery instead of open surgery, you will have less
pain after the surgery.
There is also a lower risk of complications from the surgery and you will recover from
the operation faster.
What Would Happen Once The Surgery Done?
When the appendectomy is over, you’ll be observed for several hours before you’re
released from the hospital.
Your vital signs, such your breathing and heart rate, will be monitored closely.
Hospital staff will also check for any adverse reactions to the anesthesia or the procedure.
The timing of your release will depend on your overall physical condition, the type
of appendectomy performed and your body’s reaction to the surgery.
In some cases, you may have to remain in the hospital overnight.
You may be able to go home the same day as the surgery if your appendicitis wasn’t
severe.
A family member or friend will need to drive you home if you received general anesthesia.
The effects of general anesthesia usually take several hours to wear off, so it can
be unsafe to drive after the procedure.
Will You Be In Pain?
Yes, you will feel some pain after surgery.
Pain at the incision sites and in your abdomen is common.
You might also have pain in your shoulders.
This is from the carbon dioxide put into your abdomen during the operation.
The shoulder pain should go away in 24 to 48 hours.
You can take non-prescription medications to relieve pain, unless your doctor tells
you not to take over-the-counter medications.
Putting ice on your incisions can also help.
Be sure to ask your doctor or nurse about the correct way to use ice.
Your surgeon might prescribe a small amount of narcotic pain medicine to help you with
pain.
Many people recover from surgery without taking any narcotic pain medicine, but some will
need narcotics for a few days.
You might feel sick to your stomach, nauseated or even throw up after your surgery.
Having surgery and anesthesia can make this happen.
You should feel better in a day or two.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you keep vomiting or feeling nauseated for more than two days.
What is the recovery time from Appendectomy?
Recovery from an appendectomy is similar to other operations.
You will be allowed to eat when the stomach and intestines begin to function again.
Usually the first meal will be a clear liquid diet—broth, juice, soda pop, and gelatin.
If you can tolerate this meal, the next meal usually will be a regular diet.
You can expect to leave the hospital one or two days after surgery and fully recover from
the appendectomy after a few weeks.
Some laparoscopic procedures are done on an outpatient basis.
Your doctor will likely give you medication for your pain, such as morphine or oxycodone.
You will be advised not to lift heavy objects or participate in strenuous activity for three
to five days after a laparoscopic appendectomy, or for 10 to 14 days after an open appendectomy.
To reduce pain, support your abdomen with a pillow or other soft object when you cough,
laugh, sneeze, or make any other abdominal movements.
You will probably be able to go back to work in 1 to 3 weeks.
If you had an open surgery, it may take 3 to 4 weeks.
What Precautions Should You Take After The Surgery?
It is very important to take a few precautions after the surgery to avoid any complications.
Don't fight sleep as your body needs rest to heal.
Always wash your hands before and after touching your incision area.
You should also avoid baths until your stitches or Steri-Strips are removed.
Make sure not to wear tight or rough clothing.
Try to use engaging activities, such as music or games, to distract you from your pain.
Finally return to work or school when you feel ready.
What Are The Risks Involved?
Certain risks are present when any operation is performed under general anesthesia and
the abdominal cavity is opened.
The first one is Pneumonia and collapse of the small airways.
Patients who smoke are at a greater risk for developing these complications.
Inflammation of the veins is another complication but is rare.
Bleeding can also occur but rarely is a blood transfusion required.
Secondly, adhesions are also a known complication of appendectomy.
These adhesions can lead to intestinal obstruction that prevents the normal flow of intestinal
contents.
Hernia can also be a complication of any incision.
However, they are rarely seen after appendectomy because the abdominal wall is very strong
in the area of the standard appendectomy incision.
The overall complication rate of appendectomy depends upon the status of the appendix at
the time it is removed.
If the appendix has not ruptured, the complication rate is only about 3 percent.
However, if the appendix has ruptured, the complication rate rises to almost 59 percent.
Wound infections do occur and are more common if the appendicitis was severe, far advanced,
or ruptured.
An abscess may also form in the abdomen as a complication of appendicitis.
Will there be any long-term consequences of removing the appendix?
For most individuals there are no long-term consequences of removing the appendix.
However, some individuals may have an increased risk of developing an incisional hernia, stump
appendicitis which are infections due to a retained portion of the appendix, and bowel
obstruction.
Have you or any of your loved one got an appendectomy?
Was it an open surgery?
Was it laparoscopic?
Let us know in the comments section below!