What is appendicitis, and why it is inflamed?

Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix of the cecum is understood. In the German-speaking world this disease is not medically termed correctly as appendicitis, in the Middle Ages also known as the side disease. Indeed, the inflamed appendix (the cecum), is spoken in the technical language of a typhlitis.

The course of the disease can range from mild irritation of the severe inflammation towards the wall opening (perforation into the abdominal cavity) and thus lead to peritonitis.
Anatomy, causes, incidence.
 The appendix is ​​the "blind" in the early part of the right lower abdomen ascending colon (ascending colon). The appendix is ​​an appendage, called the appendix (appendix vermiformis). The appendix contains many follicles and can be caused by infection with pathogens, but more often by laying ignite for example Kotsteinen or foreign bodies such as cherry pits, rare seeds of grapes and melons. A worm infections (roundworms or oxyurids) of the intestine is sometimes associated with it.

Appendicitis is the most common cause of acute abdomen and occurs in Western countries with an incidence of approximately 100 cases per 100,000 population per year. The risk of developing cancer later in life to appendicitis (Life-time risk) is approximately 7-8%.

The peak incidence of appendicitis is between 9 and 14 Years. Infants suffer less, but rather have only minor clinical symptoms and atypical curves so that the disease is dangerous. In children over 2 years of the appendicitis is the most common cause of acute abdomen.

Discomfort

The main symptom is the clinical symptom change: Most pain in the area of ​​the belly button (periumbilical) and in the stomach can be felt that relocate within a few hours in the right lower abdomen. Often the patients suffer from loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and get in advanced stages a bowel paralysis (paralytic ileus). The body temperature to 39 ° C increase (fever, while there is a temperature difference between the rectal and axillary measurements of about 1 ° C) with a correspondingly rapid pulse (tachycardia). By displacement of the appendix may occur when administered to pregnant pain in the right upper or middle abdomen. In elderly patients, the symptoms are not as pronounced, so that the symptoms can not be classified as light (known Altersappendizitis). The symptoms of acute appendicitis are not always typical, so that the diagnosis can be difficult. In a retrozäkalen appendicitis it is very common to Mitentzündung the ureter. Occurring here and a erythrocyturia leucocyturia may not lead to a premature rejection of the diagnosis appendicitis.