Appendicitis

Abstract

Acute appendicitis is sudden inflammation of the appendix, usually initiated by obstruction of the lumen. This results in invasion of the appendix wall by gut flora, and it becomes inflamed and infected. If the appendix then ruptures, infected and faecal matter escape into the peritoneal cavity, producing life-threatening peritonitis. Alternatively, particularly if perforation or gangrene occurs after 24 hours or more, the inflamed surfaces may become stuck together first so that the peritonitis is trapped and localised. Sometimes the inflamed appendix becomes surrounded by omentum which adheres and localises the infection more effectively, forming an appendix mass or appendix abscess. [1]