Appendicitis

Prevention

There is no way to prevent appendicitis.

Treatment

For acute appendicitis, the standard treatment is to remove the appendix. The surgery, called an appendectomy, should be done as soon as possible to reduce the risk of the appendix rupturing. Usually, if appendicitis is strongly suspected, a surgeon will advise removing the appendix even if an ultrasound or CT scan cannot confirm the diagnosis. The surgeon's recommendation to operate reflects the danger of a ruptured appendix: It can be life threatening, while an appendectomy is a relatively low-risk procedure.

Patients usually are given a dose of antibiotic intravenously (into a vein) during surgery and the antibiotic is continued until the day after surgery. If the appendix ruptured, the patient will need to take antibiotics for a week or more. To allow the digestive tract to rest after surgery, patients will not be given anything to eat or drink for the first 24 hours after an appendectomy. After that, they gradually will be given small amounts of water, then clear liquids, and then some solid foods, until finally they are able to handle a regular diet.