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Appendectomy Center - Fayetteville, NC

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Fayetteville, North Carolina

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Appendectomy

What is the appendix?

The appendix is a closed-ended, narrow tube that attaches to the cecum (the first part of the colon) like a worm. (The anatomical name for the appendix, vermiform appendix, means worm-like appendage.) The inner lining of the appendix produces a small amount of mucus that flows through the appendix and into the cecum. The wall of the appendix contains lymphatic tissue that is part of the immune system for making antibodies. Like the rest of the colon, the wall of the appendix also contains a layer of muscle.

What is appendicitis?

Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. It is thought that appendicitis begins when the opening from the appendix into the cecum becomes blocked. The blockage may be due to a build-up of thick mucus within the appendix or to stool that enters the appendix from the cecum. The mucus or stool hardens, becomes rock-like, and blocks the opening. This rock is called a fecalith (literally, a rock of stool). At other times, the lymphatic tissue in the appendix may swell and block the appendix. Bacteria which normally are found within the appendix then begin to invade (infect) the wall of the appendix. The body responds to the invasion by mounting an attack on the bacteria, an attack called inflammation. (An alternative theory for the cause of appendicitis is an initial rupture of the appendix followed by spread of bacteria outside the appendix.. The cause of such a rupture is unclear, but it may relate to changes that occur in the lymphatic tissue that line the wall of the appendix.)

If the inflammation and infection spread through the wall of the appendix, the appendix can rupture. After rupture, infection can spread throughout the abdomen; however, it usually is confined to a small area surrounding the appendix (forming a peri-appendiceal abscess).

Sometimes, the body is successful in containing ("healing") the appendicitis with...

Recommended Reading Related to Appendectomy

The Digestive System »

Digestion Introduction

"Just a spoonful of sugar... " goes the song. But what happens to that sugar once you swallow it? In fact, how is it that you are able to swallow it at all? Your digestive system performs amazing feats every day, whether you eat a double cheeseburger or a stalk of celery. Read on to learn what exactly happens to food as it makes its way through your digestive system.

What Is Digestion?

Digestion is the complex process of turning the food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestion process also involves creating waste to be eliminated.

The digestive tract (or gut) is a long twisting tube that starts at the mouth and ends at the anus. It is made up of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food and other cells that produce enzymes and hormones to aid in the breakdown of food. Along the way are three other organs that are needed for digestion: the liver, gallbladder, and the ...

Emergency Contact for Fayetteville

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Fayetteville Hospitals *

Highsmith-Rainey Specialty Hospital
150 Robeson St
Fayetteville, NC 28301
(910)609-1000

Fayetteville VA Medical Center
2300 Ramsey St
Fayetteville, NC 28301
(910)488-2120

Cape Fear Valley Medical Center
1638 Owen Dr
Fayetteville, NC 28304
(910)609-4000

Behavioral Health Care Cape Fear Health System
3425 Melrose Rd
Fayetteville, NC 28304
(910)609-3600

Betsy Johnson Regional Hospital
800 Tilghman Dr
Dunn, NC 28334
(910)892-1000

Southeastern Regional Medical Center
300 W 27th St
Lumberton, NC 28359
(910)671-5000

St Joseph of the Pines Health Center
103 Gossman Dr
Southern Pines, NC 28387
(910)246-1000

Sampson Regional Medical Center
607 Beaman St
Clinton, NC 28328
(910)592-8511

Bladen County Hospital
501 S Poplar St
Elizabethtown, NC 28337
(910)862-5100

Central Carolina Hospital
1135 Carthage St
Sanford, NC 27330
(919)774-2100

FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital
155 Memorial Dr
Pinehurst, NC 28374
(910)715-1000

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