Appendicitis

Progressive Surgical Care

Colorectal Surgeons and General Surgeons located in Howard Beach, Queens & New Hyde Park, Long Island

If you’re experiencing abdominal pain that’s getting more and more severe, and localizing to your right lower abdomen, you might have appendicitis and need surgery to prevent serious complications. The providers at Progressive Surgical Care in Forest HIlls, Flushing, New Hyde Park, Long Island and Howard Beach, Queens, New York, have extensive experience in diagnosing and treating appendicitis using up-to-date, minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery. For a consultation on appendicitis surgery, call or schedule an appointment with the office nearest you today.

Appendicitis Q & A

What’s appendicitis?

Appendicitis results in the inflammation of the appendix, a fingerlike projection off of the large intestine. Appendicitis can be caused by a blockage of the appendiceal lumen by hardened stool, which can trap bacteria and cause an infection.

Severe appendicitis can cause your appendix to rupture or to form an abdominal abscess. Both conditions can spread the infection to your abdominal cavity and the rest of your body.

What are the symptoms of appendicitis?

Abdominal pain that goes from mild to severe and then localizes to the right lower quadrant of the abdomen is the chief symptom. Typically, abdominal pain starts as mild, diffuse abdominal pain and progresses to severe, focused pain in the right lower area of your abdomen.

Additional symptoms can include:

Decreased appetite
Nausea
Vomiting
Constipation
Diarrhea
Fever
Chills

A classic sign of appendicitis is worsening pain when the painful area of the abdomen is pressed and released.

How’s appendicitis diagnosed and treated?

Diagnosis is usually made using physical assessment, blood work, and an abdominal ultrasound or CAT scan.

Appendicitis is most often treated with an appendectomy, a surgery to remove the appendix. As many as one in every 2,000 Americans undergoes an appendectomy in their lifetime, making it one of the most common surgical procedures performed in the United States.

The providers at Progressive Surgical Care offer laparoscopic appendectomy, a minimally invasive surgery that requires a small incision to be made in the abdomen or navel. The procedure uses long, thin instruments and a small camera that gives the surgeon a real-time view of the surgical site without an open incision.

What are the benefits of a laparoscopic appendectomy?

Benefits of a laparoscopic appendectomy over traditional open appendectomy include:

It’s less invasive
There’s less pain
You spend less time in the hospital
Your recovery time is shorter
There’s less blood loss
There’s less scarring

In most cases, a laparoscopic appendectomy can be done as an outpatient surgery. If your appendix has ruptured, you have an abdominal abscess or a systemic infection, you’ll probably need to stay in the hospital to receive intravenous (IV) antibiotics.

To discuss your surgical options for treating appendicitis, call or schedule an appointment with Progressive Surgical Care today.

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