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Treatment of Appendicitis

If you have appendicitis you will usually have to have your appendix removed. This operation is called an appendicectomy or appendectomy. You will be given general anaesthetic before the operation. The surgeon will make a cut (incision) in your lower abdomen and remove your appendix.

You will then have stitches or clips to close the cut. You may also need to have painkillers, antibiotics, and fluids through a drip.

This operation can also be done using a small camera inserted into the stomach on the end of a wire (laparoscopic surgery). The advantages of this operation include not having a scar afterwards.

It takes a couple of days to recover from the operation and a few weeks until you can get back to all your usual activities.

Some people have antibiotics only, but most people have their appendix removed.

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