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Appendectomy Center - Hendersonville, TN

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Hendersonville, Tennessee

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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 Hendersonville

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Hendersonville Hospitals *

Hendersonville Medical Center
355 New Shackle Island Rd
Hendersonville, TN 37075
(615)264-4000

Skyline Madison Campus
500 Hospital Dr
Madison, TN 37115
(615)865-0300

Summit Medical Center
5655 Frist Blvd
Hermitage, TN 37076
(615)316-3000

Skyline Medical Center
3441 Dickerson Pike
Nashville, TN 37207
(615)769-2000

Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute
221 Stewart Ferry Pike
Nashville, TN 37214
(615)902-7400

Nashville Rehabilitation Hospital
1034 W Eastland Ave
Nashville, TN 37206
(615)226-4330

Sumner Regional Medical Center
555 Hartsville Pike
Gallatin, TN 37066
(615)452-4210

Metropolitan Nashville General Hospital
1818 Albion St
Nashville, TN 37208
(615)341-4000

Baptist Hospital
2000 Church St
Nashville, TN 37236
(615)284-5555

Centennial Medical Center
2300 Patterson St
Nashville, TN 37203
(615)342-1000

Parthenon Pavilion
2401 Parman Pl
Nashville, TN 37203
(615)342-1400

Bordeaux Long Term Care
1414 County Hospital Rd
Nashville, TN 37218
(615)862-7000

Kindred Hospital Nashville
1412 County Hospital Rd
Nashville, TN 37218
(615)687-2600

Vanderbilt University Medical Center
1211 Medical Center Dr
Nashville, TN 37212
(615)322-5000

Nashville VA Medical Center
1310 24th Ave S
Nashville, TN 37212
(615)327-4751

Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt
2200 Children's Way
Nashville, TN 37232
(615)936-1000

Psychiatric Hospital At Vanderbilt
1601 23rd Ave S
Nashville, TN 37212
(615)320-7770

Vanderbilt Stallworth Rehabilitation Hospital
2201 Children's Way
Nashville, TN 37212
(615)320-7600

Southern Hills Medical Center
391 Wallace Rd
Nashville, TN 37211
(615)781-4000

University Medical Center
1411 Baddour Pkwy
Lebanon, TN 37087
(615)444-8262

Saint Thomas Hospital
4220 Harding Rd
Nashville, TN 37205
(615)222-2111

NorthCrest Medical Center
100 Northcrest Dr
Springfield, TN 37172
(615)384-2411

McFarland Specialty Hospital
500 Park Ave
Lebanon, TN 37087
(615)449-0500

StoneCrest Medical Center
200 StoneCrest Blvd
Smyrna, TN 37167
(615)768-2000

Centennial Medical Center Ashland City
313 N Main St
Ashland City, TN 37015
(615)792-3030

Trousdale Medical Center
500 Church St
Hartsville, TN 37074
(615)374-2221

The Medical Center at Franklin
1100 Brookhaven Rd
Franklin, KY 42134
(270)598-4800

Williamson Medical Center
4321 S Carothers Pkwy
Franklin, TN 37067
(615)435-5000

Alvin C York Veterans Affairs Medical Center
3400 Lebanon Pike
Murfreesboro, TN 37129
(615)867-6000

Middle Tennessee Medical Center
400 N Highland Ave
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
(615)396-4100

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