The appendix is an organ that evolution overlooked. Believed to have helped ancient species store and digest food, this 3-inch-long muscular tube has no known physiological purpose today. In fact, it’s a bodily troublemaker: About 1 in 15 Americans will suffer from an inflamed appendix, or appendicitis.

alt

Located on the lower right side of the abdomen, the appendix extends from the beginning of the large intestine. When the appendix becomes blocked—by stool, cancer, or an infection—it becomes inflamed and fills with pus. Symptoms include pain in the lower right abdomen, nausea, abdominal swelling, cramps, and a loss of appetite. The pain increases gradually over a period of up to 12 hours, eventually becoming severe and accompanied by fever.

Because the symptoms of appendicitis overlap with those of many other conditions, physicians often conduct urine and blood tests, and possibly computed tomography scans or ultrasounds, to diagnose appendicitis. If appendicitis is suspected, doctors treat it as a medical emergency and quickly remove the organ with an appendectomy to prevent it from rupturing. During this surgical procedure, a 4-inch incision is made in the abdomen, or a minimally invasive laparoscopy is performed. A burst appendix can spill infectious materials into the body, leading to peritonitis, an inflammation of the abdominal lining. This condition may prove fatal if not treated promptly with strong antibiotics.

Although appendicitis can occur at any age, it’s most common in people between the ages of 10 and 30. There is no known way to prevent the condition, but research shows that it’s less common in people who eat high-fiber diets.

ADDITIONAL FACTS

  1. Scientists have found evidence of appendicitis in ancient Egyptian mummies.
  2. The first known surgical removal of the appendix was conducted on an 11-year-old boy in 1735 by Claudius Amyand (c. 1681–1740).