Appendectomy

Appendectomy
An appendectomy in progress
Other names	Appendisectomy, appendicectomy
Specialty	General surgery
Uses	Appendicitis
Complications	Infection, bleeding
Approach	Laparoscopic, open
Recovery time	1-3 weeks
Frequency	Common
[edit on Wikidata]

An appendectomy (American English) or appendicectomy (British English) is a surgical operation in which the vermiform appendix (a portion of the intestine) is removed. Appendectomy is normally performed as an urgent or emergency procedure to treat complicated acute appendicitis.^[1]

Appendectomy may be performed laparoscopically (as minimally invasive surgery) or as an open operation.^[2] Over the 2010s, surgical practice has increasingly moved towards routinely offering laparoscopic appendicectomy; for example in the United Kingdom over 95% of adult appendicectomies are planned as laparoscopic procedures.^[3] Laparoscopy is often used if the diagnosis is in doubt, or in order to leave a less visible surgical scar. Recovery may be slightly faster after laparoscopic surgery, although the laparoscopic procedure itself is more expensive and resource-intensive than open surgery and generally takes longer. Advanced pelvic sepsis occasionally requires a lower midline laparotomy.

Complicated (perforated) appendicitis should undergo prompt surgical intervention.^[1] There has been significant recent trial evidence that uncomplicated appendicitis can be treated with either antibiotics or appendicectomy,^[4][5] with 51% of those treated with antibiotics avoiding an appendectomy after 3 years.^[6] After appendicectomy the main difference in treatment is the length of time the antibiotics are administered. For uncomplicated appendicitis, antibiotics should be continued up to 24 hours post-operatively. For complicated appendicitis, antibiotics should be continued for anywhere between 3 and 7 days.^[1] An interval appendectomy is generally performed 6–8 weeks after conservative management with antibiotics for special cases, such as perforated appendicitis.^[7] Delay of appendectomy 24 hours after admission for symptoms of appendicitis has not shown to increase risk of perforation or other complications.^[8]