Severe Abdominal Pain after Appendectomy

What is an appendectomy?

An appendectomy is surgery to eliminate the appendix when it is infected. This condition is called appendicitis. Appendectomy is a common emergency surgery.

In some cases patients may have pain after appendectomy. Sharp, severe abdominal pain after appendectomy can be in upper or lower left abdominal area, close to your stomach, continued and sharp, right after, week or month after the surgery. Read more to find out why it happen.

The appendix is a thin pouch that is connected to the huge intestine. It sits in the lower right part of your belly. If you have appendicitis, your appendix has to be taken away right away. If not treated, your appendix can burst. This is a medical emergency situation.

There are 2 kinds of surgery to eliminate the appendix. The basic approach is an open appendectomy. A newer, less invasive method is a laparoscopic appendectomy.

• Open appendectomy. A cut or cut about 2 to 4 inches long is made in the lower right-hand side of your belly or abdominal area. The appendix is gotten through the incision.
• Laparoscopic appendectomy. This technique is less invasive. That means it’s done without a huge cut. Rather, from 1 to 3 tiny cuts are made. A long, thin tube called a laparoscope is put into among the incisions. It has a tiny video camera and surgical tools. The surgeon looks at a tv screen to see inside your abdomen and guide the tools. The appendix is gotten rid of through among the incisions.

Throughout a laparoscopic surgery, your supplier might decide that an open appendectomy is needed.

If your appendix has burst and infection has actually spread, you may require an open appendectomy.

A laparoscopic appendectomy may cause less pain and scarring than an open appendectomy. For either type of surgery, the scar is often tough to see as soon as it has actually healed.

Both types of surgery have low threat of complications. A laparoscopic appendectomy has a shorter hospital stay, shorter recovery time, and lower infection rates.

Why might I require an appendectomy?

You may need an appendectomy to remove your appendix if you show symptoms of appendicitis.

Appendicitis is a medical emergency situation. It is when your appendix ends up being sore, inflamed, and infected.

If you have appendicitis, there is a serious risk your appendix may burst or rupture. This can take place as soon as 48 to 72 hours after you have symptoms. It can cause a severe, dangerous infection called peritonitis in your belly.

If you have appendicitis symptoms, seek treatment right away.

What are the risks of an appendectomy?

Some possible problems of an appendectomy consist of:

• Bleeding
• Wound infection
• Infection and inflammation and swelling (inflammation) of the belly that can take place if the appendix bursts throughout surgery (peritonitis).
• Blocked bowels.
• Injury to close-by organs.

You might have other dangers that are distinct to you.Be sure to go over any concerns with your healthcare provider before surgery.

How do I get ready for an appendectomy?

• Your healthcare carrier will explain the surgery to you. Ask any concerns you may have.
• You will be asked to sign an authorization form that offers your permission to do the surgery. Read the type carefully and ask concerns if anything is not clear.
• Your carrier will ask concerns about your previous health. He or she will also provide you a physical examination. This is making sure you are in good health prior to you have surgery. You may likewise require blood tests and other diagnostic tests.
• You should not eat or consume anything for 8 hours before the surgery. This often indicates no food or drink after midnight.
• Make sure your carrier has a list of all medications (prescribed and non-prescription) and all herbs, vitamins, and supplements that you are taking.
• You might be given a medicine to help you relax (a sedative) prior to the surgery.

Tell your healthcare supplier if you:

• Are pregnant or believe you may be pregnant.
• Are allergic to or conscious latex, medications, tape, or anesthesia medications (local and general).
• Have a history of bleeding conditions or are taking any blood-thinning (anticoagulant) medications, aspirin, or other medicines that affect blood clotting. You may have to stop taking these medicines before surgery.

Your health care provider may have other directions for you based upon your medical condition.

What happens throughout an appendectomy?

In most cases an appendectomy is an emergency situation surgery and will need a healthcare facility stay. You will have either an open appendectomy or a laparoscopic appendectomy. This will depend upon your condition and your health care supplier’s practices.

An appendectomy is done while you are provided medicines to put you into a deep sleep (under basic anesthesia).

Usually, the appendectomy follows this process:

• You will be asked to get rid of any precious jewelry or other things that might obstruct throughout surgery.
• You will be asked to remove your clothing and will be offered a dress to wear.
• An IV (intravenous) line will be put in your arm or hand.
• You will be placed on the operating room on your back.
• If there is a lot of hair at the medical site, it might be clipped off.
• A tube will be put down your throat to assist you breathe. The anesthesiologist will check your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and blood oxygen level during the surgery.

Open appendectomy

• A cut or laceration will be made in the lower right part of your belly.
• Your abdominal muscles will be separated and the abdominal area will be opened.
• Your appendix will be tied off with stitches and removed.
• If your appendix has burst or burst, your abdomen will be rinsed with seawater (saline).
• The lining of your abdomen and your abdominal muscles will be closed with stitches. A small tube may be put in the laceration to drain out fluids.

Laparoscopic appendectomy

• A small laceration will be produced the tube (laparoscope). More cuts may be made so that other tools can be utilized throughout surgery.
• Carbon dioxide gas will be used to swell up your abdomen so that your appendix and other organs can be quickly seen.
• The laparoscope will be put in and your appendix will be discovered.
• Your appendix will be tied off with stitches and eliminated through a cut.
• When the surgery is done, the laparoscope and tools will be taken away. The co2 will be blurt through the cuts. A little tube might be positioned in the cut to drain out fluids.

Treatment completion, both techniques

• Your appendix will be sent out to a laboratory to be checked.
• Your cuts will be closed with stitches or medical staples.
• A sterile bandage or dressing will be utilized to cover the injuries.

What happens after an appendectomy?

In the healthcare facility

After surgery, you will be required to the recovery room. Your healthcare team will view your essential signs, such as your heart rate and breathing. Your recovery will depend upon the kind of surgery that was done and the kind of anesthesia you had. When your blood pressure, pulse, and breathing are stable and you are awake and alert, you will be taken to your health center space.

A laparoscopic appendectomy might be done on an outpatient basis. In this case, you may be released and sent out home from the recovery room.

You will have pain medicine as required. This may be by prescription or from a nurse. Or you might provide it to yourself through a device linked to your IV (intravenous) line.

You might have a thin plastic tube that goes through your nose into your stomach. This is used to remove stomach fluids and air that you swallow. The tube will be gotten when your bowels are working normally. You will not be able to eat or consume up until tube is gotten rid of.

You will be asked to get out of bed a few hours after a laparoscopic surgery or by the next day after an open surgery.

You may be enabled to drink liquids a couple of hours after surgery. You may slowly be able to add more solid foods.

You will set up a follow-up go to with your health care provider. This is typically 2 to 3 weeks after surgery.

In your home

When you are home, you need to keep the incision clean and dry. Your doctor will give you instructions on ways to bathe. Any stitches or medical staples used will be gotten rid of at a follow-up workplace see. If adhesive strips were utilized, they ought to be kept dry. They will frequently fall off in a few days.

The laceration and your stomach muscles may ache, often after long periods of standing. Take a pain medication as suggested by your service provider. Aspirin or other pain medicines might raise your threat of bleeding. Just take medications that your supplier has actually authorized.

If you had a laparoscopy, you may feel pain from the carbon dioxide gas that is still in your belly. This pain might last for a few days. You must feel a bit better each day.

Your provider will likely want you to walk and move a bit. But prevent any strenuous activity. Your service provider will tell you when you can go back to work and your regular activities.

Call your healthcare supplier if you have any of the following:

• Fever or chills.
• Redness, swelling, bleeding, or other drain from the incision site.
• More pain around the laceration site.
• Vomiting.
• Loss of hunger or not able to eat or consume anything.
• Constant coughing, difficulty breathing, or shortness of breath.
• Belly pain, cramping, or swelling.
• No defecation for 2 days or longer.
• Watery diarrhea for more than 3 days.

What about Severe Abdominal Pain after Appendectomy?

After your surgery, it is normal to feel weak and tired for a number of days after you return home. Your belly might be swollen and might be painful. If you had laparoscopic surgery, you may have pain in your shoulder for about 24 hours.

It is to draw attention to the fact that stump appendicitis with all its attendant problems such as perforation, abscess formation is genuine and ought to be borne in mind in the differential diagnosis of patients presented with right iliac severe abdominal pain after appendectomy.

Next actions

Before you agree to the test or the procedure see to it you understand:

• The name of the test or procedure.
• The reason you are having the test or procedure.
• The dangers and advantages of the test or treatment.
• When and where you are to have the test or treatment and who will do it.
• When and how will you get the results.
• Just how much will you have to spend for the test or procedure.