APPENDICITIS AND THE APPENDIX

Physiology

The appendix is the extension of the
colon, which is located near the  small
intestine. The length of the appendix is from one inch to around nine inches in
length. The colon has three outer longitudinal muscle bands that are called the
tenia (John et al. 2018). The appendix also arises from the blind pouch that is
near to the cecum in the existence of a three-tenia merge. The appendix also contains
its specific blood supply that starts from the cecum.

The tubular nature points to the
cross-section of the appendix. An appendix has an outer serosal one-cell peritoneal
covering, which is subsequently followed by the muscle layers. Other sections
includes the stain light pin in addition to the connective tissue layer, which
is called the submucosa (Bolmers et al. 2018). The submucosa is a thin muscle
and an additional layer is called the mucosa. The structure and design of the
mucosa are similar to the colon, which contains crypts of Lieberkühn.

The crypt of Lieberkühn is found throughout
the intestine, and it performs numerous functions. Stool, food, and intestinal
contents frequently and continuously rub off mucosal cells when it brushes past
(John et al. 2018). Additional intestinal mucosal cells continue to grow. Intentional
stem cells are usually dark purple in color.

The crypts also have goblet cells,
which are large clearer cells. Goblet cells produce mucous, which flows from
the crypt. The mucous washes while the crypts protect and lubricate the mucosa
of the bowel from its respective contents. These functions are for secretions
and the release of hormones (Bolmers et al. 2018). Colon and appendix are
different because it contains a high amount of lymphoid aggregates in the
submucosa. The presence of the white blood cells can be compared to the lymph
nodes that are found elsewhere. It produces also secretory antibodies (IgA’s)
that deals with toxins found in the gut.

Peristalsis also plays an important
role, which propels material forward. The gut is designed in a way or
programmed to squeeze the food and other contents by leading the material
forward. The entire process is called peristalsis. It allows the movement of
contents in the lumen of that section.

Therefore,
the appendix is an extension of the bowel that develops a sump or eddy, which
is also found in the first section of the colon. The stool is blended in the distensible
well found in the cecum, which is subsequently pushed on (John et al. 2018).
In some situations, the stool might pass to the appendix but the presence of
the appendiceal peristalsis results in pushing the stool back to the colon. In
addition, the appendix also produces the antibodies and mucous, which
peristalsis pushes into the cecum.

Description of Appendicitis

Pain
across the abdominal area is common for appendicitis. The extent of infection influences
pain levels, which also affects the diagnosis requirement. For example, the
pain is common in the lower right-hand side of the abdomen because it is easy
to identify. The common signs and symptoms include painful coughing or
sneezing, progressively worsening pain, vomiting and nausea (Bolmers et al. 2018).
Other signs include diarrhea, inability to pass gas, fever, constipation, and
loss of appetite. It is advisable for a patient to seek the services of a medical
practitioner in management requirements (Smith et al. 2017). It is imperative to
distinguish the condition with other forms of complication. For example,
urinary tract infection has similar signs and symptoms of appendicitis.

Diagnosis
might be challenging because appendicitis does not have typical symptoms. It becomes
a challenge to diagnose the problem meaning identification of the position of
the pain is important (Shin
et al. 2017). If the pain is located in the lower quadrant of
the abdomen, it is the primary sign of the problem (Bolmers et al. 2018).
Some of the symptoms of appendicitis are common in other health conditions such
as gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, and ectopic pregnancy. Others
include kidney stones and Chron’s disease (John et al. 2018). The location of the appendix
is different based on the patients, meaning additional tests are required. Some
of the additional tests include urine tests to identify a bladder or kidney
infection, an ultrasound scan, and blood tests.

Case Study: View from Caretaker

Having mysterious abdominal pain and
a horrible stomachache is never fun. It becomes a challenge for a patient or
the individual thinking about numerous problems including a bout of food poisoning,
nasty period cramps, unsure horrible gas, and the patient might start with
other complications including googling symptoms and ball mildly packing. Most
pains are located in the belly button showing the worsening conditions. Within the
short term, the pain ends when the appendix ruptures. The rupturing process
allows the pain to disappear for some time. The patient with a ruptured
appendix increases the risks of complications meaning the entire condition is
life threating and therefore additional consultation and treatment are required.
The caretaker should recognize the appropriateness of the treatment and
management of the problem. The objective is to recognize the limits of the condition
and determine the best practices and frameworks to avoid the inappropriate
treatment mechanism. The use of painkillers becomes common meaning the caretaker
might advise the patient on the best treatment including surgery to manage the
problem.

A Recent Medical Advance: Treatment

Smith et al. (2017) carried out a
study that identified the human appendix being an important organ in the body
of an individual. The authors presented that the appendix had a reputation of
being inflamed resulting in appendicitis. The best treatment process is the
removal of the appendixes. However, based on recent researches and studies, it
means that the appendixes continue to play an important role in the development
and growth of an individual. For example, Smith et al. (2017) observed that the
appendix was a reservoir for beneficial gut bacteria. The authors also pointed
out the best treatment process is the identification of the infection, and the possible
bacteria causing the problem. Identification of such factors would assist in the
identification of the best treatment plan including the use of antibiotics depending
on the extent and complications of the condition.

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APPENDICITIS AND THE APPENDIX was first posted on February 24, 2020 at 5:40 am.
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