| Acute Appendicitis
Acute abdominal conditions are serious and can be life
threatening if not promptly diagnosed and treated. An example is
Acute Appendicitis.
Each year, 1 in every 500 Americans will suffer the onset of
acute appendicitis. This is a common emergency condition. The
appendix is an organ arising at the beginning of the large
intestine. It is not known to have any function in humans. It
may become inflamed. While acute appendicitis may sometimes be
difficult to diagnose, it must nevertheless be included in the
list of possible problems when a patient arrives at the
emergency room with complaints of severe abdominal and/or flank
pain, nausea and vomiting, and loss of bowel function. Blood
tests should show increased white blood cells and the patient
may have a fever.
The key to treatment is early diagnosis. If the appendix
ruptures, the patient may develop peritonitis (inflammation of
the abdominal cavity), abscess, or other complications, which
may be life-threatening, if not fatal.
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