How long appendix surgery take

Bathing Your child may take a shower 2 days after the surgery; baths are allowed 5 days after surgery. If your child has a fever higher than Also call the doctor if your child has:. If your child has any special needs or health issues you feel the doctor needs to know about, please call the Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh before the follow-up visit and ask to speak with a nurse.

It is important to notify us in advance about any special needs your child might have. Pittsburgh, PA Children's Hospital's main campus is located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood. Our main hospital address is:. In addition to the main hospital, Children's has many convenient locations in other neighborhoods throughout the greater Pittsburgh region.

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Our Sites. Patient Procedures. Laparoscopic Appendectomy At UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh , we believe parents and guardians can contribute to the success of this surgery and invite you to participate. Fast Facts about Laparoscopic Appendectomy Appendectomy is an operation to remove the appendix when it has become inflamed; an inflamed appendix is called appendicitis uh-pen-di-SIGH-tus.

Appendicitis must be treated with surgery right away; if left untreated, the appendix could rupture burst and cause a life-threatening or fatal infection. The surgery will take about 1 hour. Your child will most likely go home within 24 to 36 hours after the surgery. If there is infection from the appendix bursting, he or she will be in the hospital from 5 to 7 days. What is Laparoscopic Appendectomy? Preparing for the Surgery Most patients who need a lap appendectomy enter the hospital through the Emergency Department and are taken to surgery within a few hours.

Going to Sleep As the parent or legal guardian, you will be asked to sign a consent form before the anesthesia is given. If your child is very scared or upset, the doctor may give a special medication to help him or her relax. This medication is flavored and takes effect in about 10 to 15 minutes.

If you wish, you may be allowed to go with your child to the room where the surgery will be done and stay as the sleep medication is given. Your child may choose a favorite scent to flavor the air flowing through the mask.

There are no shots or needles used while your child is still awake. Older children may choose between getting their medication through the mask or directly into a vein through an intravenous IV line. It has a tiny video camera and surgical tools. The surgeon looks at a TV monitor to see inside your abdomen and guide the tools.

The appendix is removed through one of the incisions. A laparoscopic appendectomy may cause less pain and scarring than an open appendectomy. For either type of surgery, the scar is often hard to see once it has healed.

Both types of surgery have low risk of complications. A laparoscopic appendectomy has a shorter hospital stay, shorter recovery time, and lower infection rates. Recently, some studies have suggested that intravenous antibiotics alone could cure appendicitis without the need for appendectomy. These results remain controversial and appendectomy remains the standard of care.

Appendicitis is a medical emergency. It is when your appendix becomes sore, swollen, and infected. If you have appendicitis, there is a serious risk your appendix may burst or rupture.

This can happen as soon as 48 to 72 hours after you have symptoms. It can cause a severe, life-threatening infection called peritonitis in your belly.

Infection and redness and swelling inflammation of the belly that can occur if the appendix bursts during surgery peritonitis. You may have other risks that are unique to you. Be sure to discuss any concerns with your healthcare provider before surgery. You will be asked to sign a consent form that gives your permission to do the surgery. Read the form carefully and ask questions if anything is not clear. Your provider will ask questions about your past health.

He or she will also give you a physical exam. This is to make sure you are in good health before you have surgery. You may also need blood tests and other diagnostic tests. You must not eat or drink anything for 8 hours before the surgery. This often means no food or drink after midnight. Make sure your provider has a list of all medicines prescribed and over-the-counter and all herbs, vitamins, and supplements that you are taking.

Are allergic to or sensitive to latex, medicines, tape, or anesthesia medicines local and general. Have a history of bleeding disorders or are taking any blood-thinning anticoagulant medicines, aspirin, or other medicines that affect blood clotting. You may have to stop taking these medicines before surgery. In most cases an appendectomy is an emergency surgery and will require a hospital stay.

You will have either an open appendectomy or a laparoscopic appendectomy. An appendectomy is done while you are given medicines to put you into a deep sleep under general anesthesia.

You will be asked to remove any jewelry or other objects that might get in the way during surgery. To diagnose appendicitis, your doctor will ask about your symptoms and press on your abdomen, which will feel very tender.

You may need imaging tests, such as a CT scan or ultrasound of your abdomen, so the doctor can see if the problem is with your appendix. If you have appendicitis, the number one way to treat it is with surgery to remove your appendix.

In fact, appendicitis is the number one cause of emergency abdominal surgery in the U. You may be treated for an infection first, before your surgery. It's important to treat the appendicitis quickly because you can develop a collection of pus called an abscess in your abdomen once your appendix bursts. Don't worry about going through life without an appendix.

People live healthy lives without it. Once you've had your appendix taken out, you should feel a lot better. If your appendix has ruptured, it may take you longer to recover. You may also develop an abscess or other complications. That's why you don't want to wait until your appendix has already burst to get treated.

Call your doctor for any severe pain in your abdomen, especially if you also have a fever, vomiting, constipation, dizziness, or other severe symptoms. An appendectomy is done for appendicitis. The condition can be hard to diagnose, especially in children, older people, and women of childbearing age.

If you have symptoms of appendicitis, seek medical help right away. DO NOT use heating pads, enemas, laxatives, or other home treatments to try to relieve symptoms. There are no actual tests to confirm that you have appendicitis. Other illnesses can cause the same or similar symptoms. The goal is to remove an infected appendix before it breaks open ruptures.

After reviewing your symptoms and the results of the physical exam and medical tests, your surgeon will decide whether you need surgery. Most people leave the hospital in 1 to 2 days after surgery. You can go back to your normal activities within 2 to 4 weeks after leaving the hospital. If you had laparoscopic surgery, you will likely recover quickly. Recovery is slower and more complicated if your appendix has broken open or an abscess has formed.

Essential Surgery: Problems Diagnosis and Management. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Richmond B. The appendix. Reviewed by: Debra G. Editorial team. Appendectomy Appendix removal; Surgery - appendectomy; Appendicitis - appendectomy.