Appendicitis

The most common paediatric abdominal cavity disorder that requires surgical intervention is appendicitis. It is relatively easy to treat, provided that the problem is diagnosed on time and the little patient is referred to the operating room. The procedure leaves only a small scar and freedom from being at risk of this common disorder in the future, at adult age. It is important that hazardous complications such as gangrene and perforation of the appendix wall and peritonitis. The disease develops in a relatively rapid manner (several or a dozen or so hours) Therefore, prompt reaction of parents and the physician matters a lot.

Appendicitis is most common in children between age 6 and 12, but can occur even in infants. It is more difficult to identify symptoms in the youngest children: when infant suddenly stops eating, cries upon touching the belly and vomits, one should immediately visit a paediatrician or paediatric surgeon.

In children aged several years it is usually possible to identify the type and location of pain, which starts around the navel and migrates towards the right part of the hypogastrium. At this time, the children usually lose their appetite and may vomit. They spontaneously draw in their legs, which relieves the pain. When walking, children bend rightwards to reduce pain. Mild fever (37-38 degrees) can be observed. As the disease progresses, peritoneal symptoms appear: pain is most intense upon pressure to the right lower part of the abdomen, and even more intense when the hand is removed (pressure is removed from the peritoneum). At that moment there is no time for household methods of alleviating symptoms, which would exacerbate anyway. One should take the child to a hospital as soon as possible.

The child will be examined by a surgeon (sometimes girls are also consulted by gynaecologists in order to rule out other diseases), who then makes a decision about surgery. If there is still time for observation, examinations are ordered to rule out other possible diseases. Similar symptoms may be experienced e.g. in inflammation of lymph nodes in the region of the appendix, while the appendix itself remains unaffected. This condition may be diagnosed only during the surgery, but it is better to remove a healthy appendix than to risk rapid worsening of health, Total removal of the appendix by means of a 3- to 4-cm long incision is performed under full anaesthesia. Children are allowed to walk 2-3 days after the procedure; duration of rehabilitation period depends on the inflammation stage of the removed appendix. If complications (e.g. peritonitis) develop , children must receive antibiotics; sometimes it is necessary to leave drains in the abdominal surgery in order to evacuate pus. This requires hospitalization to last longer.

Appendectomy procedures in the LUX MED Group Hospital are performed by experienced paediatric surgeons: Piotr Szynaka MD, PhD,  Piotr Gastoł MD, PhD , Jan Gruchalski MD, PhD and Włodzimierz Grochowski MD.

For more information on the procedures performed in the LUX MED Group Hospital, call 22 431 20 59 or visit szpital@luxmed.pl.