Acute appendicitis: Difference between revisions

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If one, suspecting acute appendicits, opens the patient's abdominal cavity and discovers that the appendix is not inflamed, some advocate for removing the (healthy) appendix anyway, seeing as you're already there and it will prevent appendicitis in the future, but others advocate for leaving it as there is no longer any indication for surgery. Removing the healthy appendix avoids the problem of assuming that the appendix is absent should the patient appear to present with appendicitis subsequently, althought this problem is easily avoided by the use of patient health records or patient history.
If one, suspecting acute appendicits, opens the patient's abdominal cavity and discovers that the appendix is not inflamed, some advocate for removing the (healthy) appendix anyway, seeing as you're already there and it will prevent appendicitis in the future, but others advocate for leaving it as there is no longer any indication for surgery. Removing the healthy appendix avoids the problem of assuming that the appendix is absent should the patient appear to present with appendicitis subsequently, althought this problem is easily avoided by the use of patient health records or patient history.


Studies have shown that antibiotic therapy can be as effective as surgery for managing the initial presentation of appendicitis. However, these studies also conclude that this carries with it moderate risk of recurrence and missed neoplasms. As such, surgery remains the first choice.
Studies have shown that antibiotic therapy can be as effective as surgery for managing the initial presentation of appendicitis. However, these studies also conclude that this carries with it moderate risk of recurrence and missed neoplasms. As such, surgery remains the first choice.<noinclude>[[Category:Gastroenterology]]
[[Category:Gastroenterology]]
[[Category:Gastrointestinal surgery]]</noinclude>
[[Category:Gastrointestinal surgery]]