How to medicate for acute appendicitis

Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 02, 2024
00:00
00:00

Acute appendicitis is commonly treated surgically in clinical settings. Medication for acute appendicitis should be used with caution according to indications; if the appendix is not purulent, it is appropriate to use anti-inflammatory drugs to control the infection and choose sensitive antibiotics, such as quinolones. If the appendix becomes purulent or perforates, timely surgical treatment should be administered to prevent further exacerbation of appendicitis. Before and after the surgery, it is important to monitor whether the patient's symptoms and signs have significantly worsened.

(Medications should be taken under the guidance of a physician and based on actual conditions)

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
45sec home-news-image

Does acute appendicitis hurt?

Acute appendicitis is associated with abdominal pain, the severity of which is directly related to the extent of the inflammation. If the inflammation is mild, the abdominal pain can be tolerable. However, if there is significant pus in the appendix or perforation, it can cause severe abdominal pain, similar to being cut by a knife. Acute appendicitis generally requires surgical treatment. Currently, a common procedure is laparoscopic appendectomy, which causes less bleeding during surgery and allows for a quicker recovery with minimal damage to the body. For patients who cannot tolerate general anesthesia, spinal anesthesia can be used, and the appendix can be removed through an incision at McBurney's point.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
50sec home-news-image

The cause of acute appendicitis

The etiology of acute appendicitis is directly related to obstruction and infection of the appendiceal lumen. The appendix, a narrow and elongated tube connected to the cecum, can develop increased luminal pressure due to obstruction, leading to disturbances in the blood supply to the appendiceal wall. This can easily cause damage to the mucosa and subsequent infection. Infection of the appendiceal lumen can directly cause acute appendicitis. Additionally, gastrointestinal dysfunction can also cause muscle and vascular spasms in the appendix leading to blood supply disturbances and the invasion of bacteria, resulting in acute inflammation. For acute appendicitis, surgical treatment should be administered immediately upon diagnosis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
41sec home-news-image

Which is more serious, acute appendicitis or chronic appendicitis?

The symptoms of acute appendicitis are relatively more severe because acute suppurative appendicititis can cause perforation of the appendiceal lumen. After the perforation, pus can flow into the abdominal cavity causing diffuse peritonitis, leading to abdominal muscle tension, tenderness, and rebound pain. If not treated promptly, it can lead to multiple organ failure. Chronic appendicitis is mostly due to incomplete treatment of acute appendicitis, or chronic latent appendicitis. The symptoms of chronic appendicitis are sometimes mild and the physical signs are not definite. Surgical removal of the appendix should be the first choice for treating acute appendicitis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
47sec home-news-image

Early symptoms of acute appendicitis

The symptoms of the early stage of acute appendicitis primarily include vague abdominal pain, initially across the abdomen, then transitioning around the belly button, and after several hours, shifting to the lower right abdomen where the pain becomes localized. The early symptoms of acute appendicitis are not typically distinctive, with the onset being quite sudden, accompanied by severe abdominal pain, vomiting, and fever. Based on these typical clinical manifestations, diagnosing acute appendicitis is not difficult. Clinically, the main treatment is the surgical removal of the appendix, with laparoscopic appendectomy being the more common practice nowadays. This method involves less bleeding during the operation and a quicker post-operative recovery.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
39sec home-news-image

Causes of Acute Appendicitis

The main causes of acute appendicitis are obstruction of the appendiceal lumen and concurrent infection. The appendiceal lumen is a narrow tube that communicates with the cecum at one end. Obstruction, such as a fecalith, can lead to increased pressure inside the lumen, disturbances in blood flow, damage to the mucosa, and secondary infection. It can also be caused by direct bacterial infection within the appendiceal lumen, leading to acute inflammation. Additionally, repeated diarrhea or constipation and other gastrointestinal dysfunctions can also cause circulation disturbances in the appendix, leading to bacterial invasion and acute inflammation.