Appendectomy: Symptoms, Classification, Diagnosis & Recovery

• Patients are required to stop eating or drinking at least 8 hours before the surgery.
• For patients undergoing planned surgery, certain blood tests and imaging tests are performed to get clearance for the surgery.
• For patients arriving in an emergency due to acute pain, the surgery may be carried out straight away.
• Before the surgery, patients are given instructions for the day of the admission, and the medications they should avoid and take before coming to the hospital.
• In the preparation room, fluids and medications are given using IV.
• Patients are typically given general anesthesia before the surgery but some may receive local anesthesia.

The patient is generally put to sleep as the procedure lasts for about 1 to 2 hours. There are different ways to conduct an appendectomy. Some patients may undergo an open appendectomy, while others may    undergo a laparoscopic appendectomy.

Open appendectomy is common if the appendix has ruptured and the resulting infection is likely to have spread to other organs. In open appendectomy, a single large incision is made on the lower right corner of the abdomen.

In laparoscopic appendectomy, a few small incisions are made in the lower abdomen. Through one of the incisions, an instrument called a laparoscope is inserted. It has a camera on its end, which allows the surgeon to see the inside of the abdomen.

• Most patients can go home on the next day of the procedure.
• Moderate pain may be present around the area of incisions, which is managed with the help of painkillers if required.
• Antibiotics are prescribed to prevent infection.
• Stitch removal takes place when the incisions have healed properly, which is around 10 days after the surgery.
• Most people recover fully within 4 to 6 weeks of the surgery.