Adam's appendicitis

11th January 2010

Yesterday morning, mummy received a sms from Wawa Jay informing that our cousin, Adam, had been admitted to hospital the night before after complaining of stomach pain. Firstly they went to a private clinic, but the doctor referred them to the emergency room since Adam showed signs of appendicitis. The doctor monitored Adam's condition overnight, and in the morning decided that Adam must undergo an operation to have his appendix removed.

Last night after dinner, we all went to the hospital to visit Adam. Thankfully, the operation went well and Adam seemed to be feeling alright, except for the pain around his wound. Adam also complained that it was painful everytime he laughs, so we tried to be as supportive as possible.

Thinking about this, it's quite shocking that Adam was diagnosed with appendicitis at an early age (7 years old). It really shows that the condition can be experienced by anyone no matter how old you are. So, to be safe and informed, mummy researched through the internet and found some useful informations about this condition [click here for more]. We'd love to share it with you too:

What causes appendicitis?

It happens due to a build-up of thick mucus or due to stool that enters the appendix, which then hardens up and becomes rock-like and blocks the opening from the appendix to the cecum. After the blockage, it gets infected by bacteria. The body responds by attacking the bacteria - this is called inflammation.

Symptoms

• abdominal pain which may at first be poorly localised (not confined to one spot) and difficult to pinpoint.
• loss of appetite, which may progress to nausea and vomiting.
• Once inflammation increases, the pain becomes localised clearly to the area between the front of the right hip bone and the belly button (the McBurney's point).
• If the appendix ruptures, the pain becomes diffuse again as the entire lining of the abdomen becomes inflamed.

Treatments

• antibiotics (mild cases)
• appendectomy (removal of appendix)
• drainage (in cases of ruptured appendix) to draw abscess out of the body, followed by appendectomy.

How is appendectomy done?

• Incisions / normal operation
• Laparoscope (through small puncture wounds)

Some good news about appendectomy...

• The appendix has no clear purpose in our body, and once it's removed, the body will work just fine.
• The patient will get better in a short time, and won't feel any difference without the appendix.
• Even better, you won't have to worry about appendicitis again!