Acute Appendicitis

Acute AppendicitisAppendicitis is inflammation of the appendix, a small, tubular organ in the right lower abdomen that is attached to the large intestine. Causes and Symptoms of Acute AppendicitisCommon causes of acute appendicitis include infections, tumors, or accumulation of calcified feces (appendicolith) in the appendix.The most common symptom of acute appendicitis is pain in the right lower abdomen.More than half of patients first experience discomfort in the midabdominal area, which later becomes more localized to the right lower abdominal area.Other symptoms include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and low-grade fever. How Common Is Acute Appendicitis?Acute appendicitis is diagnosed in about 250 000 people each year in the US and is most common among people 20 to 30 years old.Approximately 8.6% of men and 6.7% of women in the US are diagnosed with appendicitis over their lifetimes. Uncomplicated Versus Complicated AppendicitisAcute appendicitis is defined as uncomplicated if the appendix has not ruptured.Complicated appendicitis occurs when the appendix ruptures, resulting in a widespread infection in the abdomen (peritonitis) or a contained pocket of pus in the abdomen.Men and older adults are at higher risk of developing complicated appendicitis. FOR MORE INFORMATION National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/ appendicitisTo find this and other JAMA Patient Pages, go to the For Patients collection at jamanetworkpatientpages.com.