By: Evelyn Dalrymple 6th Hour APPENDICITIS By: Evelyn Dalrymple 6th Hour

Brief History-Description Brief History-Description Appendicitis is a medical condition in which the appendix, a tube shaped sac attached to and opening into the lower end of the large intestine, becomes inflamed because of an infection. The first successful appendectomy was on December 6, 1735 at St. George’s Hospital in London, when French surgeon Claudius Amyand described the presence of a perforated appendix within the inguinal hernial sac of an 11- year-old boy. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

Most Commonly Affected This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA Appendicitis affects the cultures Russian, German, Spanish, Chinese, French, Japanese, Arabic, Portuguese, English, and a few others. Males are affected more often than women. Children over five years of age through young adults are known to be mostly affected by appendicitis.

Symptoms of Appendicitis Abdominal Pain Nausea Vomiting Fevers- about 99-103 degrees F Constipation Diarrhea Abdominal Bloating Rebound Abdominal Tenderness Tenesmus- desire to have bowel movements Abdominal Swelling Loss of Appetite

Appendix Body System And how it is Affected The appendix is in the digestive system along with the immune system. If you are diagnosed with appendicitis and do not get your infected appendix removed, other vital organs can become infected or can even rupture. These organs would most likely be the small or large intestine since they are the closest to your appendix.

What causes Appendicitis? Appendicitis is caused by an infection in the body, and the appendix could swell in response to any infection in the body. There are many theories on what can cause an appendix’s infection, including: Calcified fecal deposits or “ appendix stones” (more common in children than adults) Intestinal worms or parasites; like pinworm Irritation in the GI tract from long-lasting disorders like Chron’s Disease Abdominal trauma or injury Fatal and cancerous tumors Foreign objects in the appendix (stones, bullets, air gun pellets, pins, etc.)

Cures and treatments Appendicitis treatment involves surgery to remove an inflamed appendix. Before surgery, most patients are given a dose of antibiotics to prevent further infection to any other organs.

How to prevent appendicitis Appendicitis cannot be prevented. However, appendicitis is less common in people who eat foods that are high in fiber, such as fresh fruits. Fibers in fruits is why fruits are considered healthy. The fibers take longer to digest than starches, and so the sugar gets slowly absorbed into your bloodstream bit by bit, instead of a lot at once. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

How APPENDICITIS AFFECTS YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE If doctors don’t remove the appendix within 24- 72 hours after showing symptoms, the organ might rupture or burst. The result is a perforated appendix, which develops a small tear, and allows the contents to leak out into the rest of the abdomen. It can also cause other complications such as a serious blood infection called septicemia, severe inflammation of the intestinal lining. This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

Resources Brogan, R. J. (Ed.). (2018, July). Appendicitis. Retrieved November 4, 2018, from https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/appendicitis.html?ref=search This website was used for slides 2-3. Ryan, W. L. (2011). Appendicitis: symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments. Hauppauge, NY: Nova Science Publishers. This book was used for slides 4-6. I got it at the St. Tammany Parish Library and it was very useful for gathering information on my disease. Mclntosh, J. (2017, July). Appendicitis. Retrieved November 5, 2018, from https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-appendicitis#1This website was used for slides 7-9.