Acute appendicitis

Causes of appendicitis

• Foreign bodies
• Trauma
• Intestinal worms
• Lymphadenitis
• Obstructing fecolith

Signs and symptoms of appendicitis

• Pain in the right iliac fossa
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Tenesmus or downward urge
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Increased frequency of micturition
• Rebound tenderness
• Tenderness in the right iliac fossa
• Abdominal rigidity
• Rovsing’s sign positive: There will be palpation of the left iliac fossa. Pressure over the descending colon causes pain in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen.

Investigations

• Physical examination
• Urine analysis
• Ultrasound scan abdomen
• Doppler sonography
• CT scan of the abdomen
• Complete blood investigations show leucocytosis
• Laparoscopy
• Barium enema

Treatment of appendicitis

• Antibiotics
• Appendicectomy: It is a surgical procedure in which the appendix is removed.
• Laparatomy
• Most patient recover easily with surgical treatment.
• Alvarado score

Total points  while a score of 7 is strongly predictive of acute appendicitis.

Complications of appendicitis

• Peritonitis
• Sepsis
• Perforation of the appendix
• Wound infection
• Abscess