The appendix is a small vestigial organ attached to the end of the large intestine. It gets inflamed, causing severe pain and infection, which is called appendicitis.

The symptoms of appendicitis begin with a dull pain in and around the navel or upper abdomen, which becomes very severe and sharp. The pain then gets centralised in the right lower abdomen. It is accompanied by nausea and or vomiting with loss of appetite. Fever can be either low-grade or high-grade with tenderness on touching the abdomen.

In most cases the cause for appendicitis is not clear. It can possibly be due to blockage in the appendix due to infections of gastrointestinal tract, hardened stools, worms, trauma or growth which then leads to enlarged tissue inside the appendix thus causing blockage and pain.

The diagnosis for appendicitis is usually based on the symptoms, patient's history and examination. Sonography and a CT scan are done to confirm the diagnosis. A complete blood count is also done to detect increased white blood cell counts due to infection.

Appendectomy is the standard of care, which is the surgical removal of the appendix. Open surgery or laparoscopic surgery is done. Laparoscopy is commonly done, as it heals faster and is associated with less pain and minimal scarring.