McLEOD HEALTH 14 MAY 2024

Dr. Hugh Willcox, III, General Surgeon
Pee Dee Surgical Group

As the leading cause of abdominal pain resulting in emergency surgery, appendicitis is most often diagnosed between the ages of 10 and 30. In the United States, about five percent of the population will develop appendicitis in their lifetime.

The appendix is a small tube-like organ that is connected to the large intestine and can be found in the lower right part of your abdomen. Appendicitis is a condition that occurs when the appendix becomes swollen or infected. Bacteria begins to accumulate inside the appendix causing it to become inflamed, swollen, and filled with pus.

The most common symptom of appendicitis is pain that may start around the belly button and move toward the lower right side of the abdomen, often getting worse as time goes on. The pain may worsen when moving, taking deep breaths, coughing, or sneezing.

Additional symptoms include nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, a low-grade fever that may rise as the condition worsens, and a swollen abdomen.

If you believe that you have appendicitis, seek medical attention right away. It is likely that the appendix will burst leading to a serious, and potentially deadly, infection. In most cases, a surgical procedure called an appendectomy is performed to remove the appendix as soon as possible.

There are two types of surgeries to remove the appendix, open appendectomy and laparoscopic appendectomy.

In an open appendectomy, a cut or incision about two to four inches in length is made in the lower right-hand side of the abdomen. The appendix is then taken out through this incision.

A laparoscopic appendectomy is a minimally invasive surgery, typically with three incisions made in the abdomen. A long, thin tube with a tiny video camera, called a laparoscope, is inserted into the abdomen to help guide the surgeon. Surgical tools are placed through the other incisions to remove the appendix.

Both types of surgeries have a low risk of complications. A laparoscopic appendectomy may cause less pain and scarring as well as result in a shorter hospital stay and recovery time.

After surgery, patients are usually sore for a few days. Recovery time will depend on what type of surgery you undergo. With an open appendectomy, most patients will return to work or their normal routine two to four weeks after surgery. If you undergo laparoscopic surgery, recovery may occur in one to three weeks.

Plan on taking it easy for the first several days, but you should try to move around as much as you can. You will have a prescription for pain medication. These medications can cause constipation which can usually be relieved by a stool softener. If your pain is mild, Tylenol can be used. Your surgeon will also give you instructions on how to care for your incisions.

You can live a normal life without your appendix and most patients find that once their appendix has been removed, they feel a lot better.

McLeod General Surgeon Dr. Hugh Willcox, III, cares for patients at Pee Dee Surgical Group in Florence. Dr. Willcox has extensive experience with both general and trauma surgery, performing a full spectrum of open, minimally invasive, and robotic-assisted surgical procedures for conditions that range from the head and neck, breast, skin and soft tissues, abdominal wall, extremities, and the gastrointestinal and endocrine systems. For more information, please call 843-665-7941.