Skip to main content

Appendicitis



As the name suggests, Appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix, derived from the terms ‘Appendix’(the organ itself) and ‘Itis’(Inflammation). 


The main cause of the disease is when a fecalith (an especially hard fecal material) gets stuck in a narrow pathway between the patient’s large intestine and a sac called the appendix. This blockage causes mucus and toxins to collect in the appendix, eventually causing it to swell up. It has to be treated as soon as possible before the sac bursts, infecting neighbouring organs.


Appendicitis can be treated using a two step approach. The surgeon first inserts a tube through the skin and into the appendix, draining the abscess. Depending on whether the appendix has ruptured, the surgeon can conduct open surgery or a few small abdominal incisions (laparoscopic surgery). 


There is little risk post surgery when getting an appendectomy because the appendix has no known function. It is believed that the appendix is just a useless remnant from our evolutionary past.


https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/appendicitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20369543#:~:text=A%20rupture%20spreads%20infection%20throughout,pocket%20of%20infection%20(abscess).

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/appendectomy#:~:text=Some%20possible%20complications%20of%20an,appendix%20bursts%20during%20surgery%20(peritonitis)

https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/picture-of-the-appendix#:~:text=Normally%2C%20the%20appendix%20sits%20in,remnant%20from%20our%20evolutionary%20past.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that affects one’s movements. Parkinson’s disease signs and symptoms are different for every individual and may go unnoticed in the early stage. Symptoms typically start on one side of the body and remain worse on that side even after the symptoms begin appearing in both sides of the body.  Generally, the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include tremors, slowed movement, rigid muscles, impaired posture and balance, loss of automatic movements such as blinking or swinging of arms when walking, and speech and writing changes.  Parkinson’s disease occurs when neurons in an area of the brain that controls movement becomes impaired or dies. These neurons normally produce dopamine. As more neurons become impaired or die, the amount of dopamine produced in the body is reduced significantly, causing the movement problems associated with Parkinson’s disease.  People with Parkinson’s also lose the nerve endings that produc...
Post a Comment
Read more

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that occurs when there is too little bone or when the body produces too little bone. The word is derived from the terms ‘osteo’ which means ‘bone’ and ‘porosis’ which means porous. Compared to normal bones, the spongy bone has more holes or pores, weakening the structural integrity of the skeleton. Bone cels called Osteoclasts, break down bone tissue and Osteoblasts build bone using minerals such as Calcium and Phosphate. Hormones such as oestrogen and testosterone help to keep the number and activity of Osteoblast high.  There are 2 types of osteoporosis. Primary Osteoporosis is due to old age when Osteoclasts remove more bone than Osteoblast make. This usually happens after the age of 30 when adults reach their ‘peak bone mass’. Secondary Osteoporosis affects both children and adults and mainly stem from cancer, hormonal imbalances or certain use of medications. In severe cases, bones may become too weak to support the rest of the human body and is ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Tinnitus

Tinnitus is a hearing condition often described as ringing in the ears. Tinnitus can also cause other types of noise in your ears such as: buzzing, roaring, clicking, hissing and humming.  The pitch heard from tinnitus can vary from a high squeal to a low roar, this can affect the patient’s ability to detect tinnitus from external sounds Tinnitus can develop gradually over time or occur suddenly. It is often associated with: age-related hearing loss, inner ear damage, earwax build-up and middle ear infection However, one in every three people with tinnitus doesn't have any obvious problem with their ears or hearing. Sources: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/tinnitus/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20350162 http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/understanding-tinnitus-basics
Post a Comment
Read more