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Severe complications of a ruptured appendix include widespread, painful inflammation of the inner lining of the abdominal wall and sepsis. [3] Appendicitis is primarily caused by a blockage of the hollow portion in the appendix. [10] This blockage typically results from a faecolith, a calcified "stone" made of feces. [6]
Early signs of appendicitis The appendix is a finger-shaped pouch that branches off where the small intestine meets the large intestine — near the right, lower side of the abdomen.
SEE ALSO: 10 signs you need to call your gyno, stat Appendicitis is odd because the appendix doesn't have a purpose, but a blockage in the lining of the appendix can result in infection and multiply.
The appendix is commonly located in the retrocecal or pelvic region. The obturator sign indicates the presence of an inflamed pelvic appendix. Evidence shows that the obturator test does not adequately diagnose appendicitis, but can be used in conjunction with other signs and symptoms to make a diagnosis. [2]
The combination of inflammation, reduced blood flow to the appendix, and distention of the appendix causes tissue injury, and tissue death. [6] If this process is left untreated, the appendix may burst, releasing bacteria into the abdominal cavity, leading to increased complications. [6] [7]
Rovsing's sign, named after the Danish surgeon Niels Thorkild Rovsing (1862–1927), [1] is a sign of appendicitis.If palpation of the left lower quadrant of a person's abdomen increases the pain felt in the right lower quadrant, the patient is said to have a positive Rovsing's sign and may have appendicitis.
"The appendix can burst or develop holes or tears in its walls, which allow stool, mucus, and infection to leak through and get inside the belly," according to a brief from Johns Hopkins Medicine.
The pain may elicit nausea and vomiting, abdominal distention, fever and signs of shock. [7] A common condition associated with acute abdominal pain is appendicitis. [8] Here is a list of acute abdomen causes: