Acute Appendicitis

Acute appendicitis that is inflammation of appendix is common in school going children & less likely occur at preschool age. The child usually complaints of pain around the umbilicus or in the right side of the lower abdomen. There may be h/o bowel disturbances in the form of constipation or diarrhoea i.e loose motions. They refused to eat because of vomiting sensation (nausea). If it progresses then the child starts vomitings & fever. You should immediately see a surgeon as it requires immediate medical attention. On examination, there is pain after touching/ on pressure in right side of the lower abdomen as the hand touches the inflammed appendix. There may pain all over the abdomen in the advanced stage. The blood test reveals increased leukocytes i.e. white blood cells in the body. X-ray abdomen may be suggestive of some air fluid levels in right iliac fossa. Ultrasonography is not the diagnostic of appendicitis unless it is ruptured but it may rule out other pathology like kidney stones, ureteric calculi, adnexal pathology (female child) etc. Though early presentation may be cured with oral or intravenous antibiotics, the majority of children requires appendicectomy. It can be done either by open or laparoscopic method.