Appendicitis

Every parent’s nightmare!

Presentation
An acute onset of pain in the right side of the abdomen. Assoc fever and vomiting.

Investigations
Unlike the American surgeons, I do not believe in CT scans for diagnosing this condition- too much radiation with implications for malignancy in the future!

I may get just simple bloods, urine test and maybe an ultrasound scan.

Treatment
Early surgery is desirable to prevent the appendix from bursting. When that happens, then pus may develop and spread to the whole abdomen.

I prefer keyhole surgery for this condition and have spent the last 10 years honing my technique to get operative time down. It is wonderful to have minimal scars.

(Chapter- UTI in children, D Misra, C Sinha. Handbook of Paediatric Surgery, publishers- Verlag Inc, 2010, pages 271-287)

Dr Devesh Misra
Consultant Paediatric Surgeon and Paediatric Urologist