Treatment
Appendectomies is a surgery that is disproportionately done in the United States every year, holding the number one spot with well-over a quarter million of these surgeries done every year. That is a staggering number, but thoughts are changing also. Treatment with antibiotics, to try to alleviate the infection, waiting for it to clear and then continuing to treat, or deciding that surgery is necessary, is a new, more conservative plan to deal with this common affliction. The problem with this strategy is sorting out those that really need an appendectomy from those that may not. It is a fine line and there is little definitive criteria to move forward with this conservative approach, especially when the consequences can be lethal. That said, surgery is all-too-often the only option as most appendectomies include removal of a part of the intestine and colon as well, so waiting for antibiotics to work is on a case-by-case basis only. Time is very much of the essence with appendectomies, with decisions on which way to proceed being made in minutes.
The poisons that leak out of the appendix is what will eventually cause death, so getting to an emergency department is of the utmost importance under these circumstances. There is no way to ignore these symptoms, especially not when they collectively get going, but there may be resistance about going to get immediate treatment. Do not put off going to get treatment. A ruptured appendix can be a life-robbing event, and with a literal plethora of hospitals across this country, there is no reason to put off deciding to get treatment, especially when your life could well be at stake.
