Each year in the United States, surgeons perform around 300,000 appendectomies — a procedure that’s been successfully performed for about a century now. While an appendectomy is a frontline treatment for appendicitis, is it an inevitability? Does everyone who has appendicitis require an appendectomy?
For answers to these questions, we turn to the skilled team of general surgeons at Rockwall Surgical Specialists, who have extensive experience with appendectomies.
Let’s set the scene as to why surgery is a common response to appendicitis. Your appendix is a small, tube-shaped organ that extends out from your colon on the right-hand side of your lower abdomen.
Appendicitis occurs when this tube becomes inflamed and infected. Because this tube is so small, it can burst easily, which can allow the contents of your intestines and bowel to spill out into your abdominal cavity. This is a very serious and sometimes deadly complication called peritonitis.
The reason an appendectomy is often the best course of action is because we can quickly contain the infection by removing the inflamed and infected appendix. This surgery also removes the risk of the appendix bursting.
Now let's get to the heart of this discussion. Appendicitis can come on suddenly, and if you recognize the problem and seek treatment right away, there’s a chance that a strong course of antibiotics can resolve the issue. In fact, whether your case is surgical or not, antibiotics are a frontline treatment.
If symptoms persist or worsen during your antibiotic treatment, your doctor will call for an appendectomy. And this is often the case.
Another thing to bear in mind is that even if your current appendicitis clears up with antibiotics alone, you have a 20% chance of it recurring.
The bottom line: While an appendectomy isn’t always necessary, it’s the most common way to successfully treat appendicitis. And appendectomy boasts an impressive success rate of more than 95%.
If we do find that an appendectomy makes the most sense for your health, there’s good news. In a majority of cases, we can perform a laparoscopic appendectomy.
During this minimally invasive surgery, we only make small incisions to accommodate a camera and surgical instruments that allow us to quickly remove your infected appendix. The small incisions means there’s less collateral damage and fewer complications.
If you have more questions about appendectomies, our team is happy to share whatever information you need. Contact Rockwall Surgical Specialists at 972-412-7700 or use our online form to set up an appointment in Rockwall, Rowlett, Greenville, Terrell, or Forney, Texas.
