Appendix- a worm-shaped tube attached to your large intestine is an organ that your body no longer needs. However, in life-threatening conditions like perforated appendicitis and carcinoid tumors, one needs to find the best appendix surgeon and get the appendix removed, or it can create serious complications in other parts of the body.
In this blog, let’s understand the function of appendix and the conditions in which one must visit the general surgery hospital, get the consultation and treat the diseased appendix at the right time.
Before the discovery of fire, our ancestors used to eat everything raw; be it plants or meat. According to several biologists, the appendix- a tube-shaped sac attached to your large intestine performed a key function of digesting tough herbivorous food.
However, with time, as the human species evolved and began to eat cooked food, the appendix eventually lost its function and started becoming smaller in size. As per scientific theories, the appendix is now a vestigial organ with no important function and will gradually disappear from the human body.
Contrary to the above theory, some scientists believe that the appendix is a part of one’s immune system, helps one’s body fight diseases and releases gut-friendly bacteria. According to them, people without an appendix have a slightly higher rate of infections and take longer to recover from illness.
In layman’s language, appendicitis is a serious medical condition that is caused when there is a blockage in the lining of the appendix due to the invasion of viruses, bacteria, or parasites from your digestive tract.
Not just this, appendicitis is also sometimes caused due to abdominal injury or trauma, ulcers and irritation in the gastrointestinal tract, appendicolith- the calcified deposits in the appendix and also due to benign or malignant tumors.
In any of the above conditions, if appendicitis is left untreated, your appendix will become swollen and inflamed and there will be a pressure within the appendix. This will limit the blood flow within the walls of the appendix and might lead to ruptured appendix. The ruptured appendix will spread infection throughout your abdomen leading to a condition called peritonitis which is a fatal health condition.
If you are having symptoms like fever and chills, bloating, nausea and vomiting, belly button pain, constipation and diarrhoea, do not ignore them. First, go to your general physician and get your health checked. If you are diagnosed with appendicitis, visit a general surgeon in Ahmedabad to know about your stage of appendicitis.
Dr. Bhavin Baria, General Surgeon, at Shalby Hospitals said, “Appendicitis is an inflammatory condition that can cause damage if not treated timely. Along with proper medical diagnosis, timely surgery is also needed. Surgery can be done with appendectomy, laparotomy and laparoscopic surgery. Among all, laparoscopic surgery is usually conducted by a general surgeon.”
If you are suffering from acute appendicitis, you require immediate medical care. In such a condition, consult an expert surgeon from a reputed hospital for appendix surgery in Ahmedabad. In the case of acute appendicitis, the appendix can burst within 48 to 72 hours of a person first experiencing the symptoms.
Carcinoid tumors are a type of slow-growing cancer that can arise in several places throughout the body and are most commonly found in the appendix. Appendectomy (surgery to remove the appendix) is the only resort if the tumor is 2 cm or smaller than that. Carcinoid tumors in the appendix is quite rare and often asymptomatic.
Hence, though the appendix is believed to be an organ of less importance, it can create serious complications in our body if any problem is ignored or left untreated. As it is said, the right treatment at the right time saves life and money, if you experience any discomfort for a long time in the right side of your lower abdomen, consult your doctor right away!
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