What Is Appendicitis And What Causes Appendicitis
The inflammation of the appendix is called Appendicitis. It is thought that appendicitis begins when the opening from the appendix into the cecum becomes blocked. The blockage is because of a build-up of thick mucus within the appendix or to stool that enters the appendix from the cecum. The mucus or stool becomes rock-like, it hardens and blocks the opening. This rock is called a fecalith (literally, a rock of stool).
At other times, the lymphatic tissue in the appendix may swell and block the appendix. After the blockage occurs, bacteria which normally are found within the appendix begin to invade (infect) the wall of the appendix. The body responds to the invasion by mounting an attack on the bacteria, an attack called inflammation. An alternative theory for the cause of appendicitis is an initial rupture of the appendix followed by spread of bacteria outside the appendix.. The cause of such a rupture is unclear, but it may relate to changes that occur in the lymphatic tissue, for example, inflammation, that line the wall of the appendix.)
Should the inflammation spread through the wall of the appendix, infection starts and the appendix can rupture. After rupture, infection will spread throughout the abdomen; however, it usually is confined to a small area surrounding the appendix (forming a peri-appendiceal abscess).
In some fortunate times, the body can contain (heal) the appendicitis without surgical treatment if the infection and accompanying inflammation did not spread throughout the abdomen. The symptoms, inflammation, and pain may disappear. This is particularly true in elderly patients and when antibiotics are used. The patients then may come to the doctor long after the episode of appendicitis with a lump or a mass in the right lower abdomen that is due to the scarring that occurs during healing. However, this lump might raise the suspicion of cancer.
What are the complications of appendicitis?
The most common complication of appendicitis is perforation. Perforation of the appendix can lead to a periappendiceal abscess (a collection of infected pus) or diffuse peritonitis (infection of the entire lining of the abdomen and the pelvis).
A not so common complication of appendicitis, however, is blockage of the intestine. Blockage happens when the inflammation surrounding the appendix causes the intestinal muscle to stop working, and this prevents the intestinal contents from passing.
A feared complication of appendicitis is sepsis, this is a very serious issue, even life-threatening complication. It is a condition in which the infecting bacteria enter the blood and travel to other parts of the body. Fortunately, it occurs rarely.