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Appendectomy Center - Manchester, NH

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Manchester, New Hampshire

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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 Manchester

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Manchester Hospitals *

Catholic Medical Center
100 McGregor St
Manchester, NH 03102
(603)668-3545

Elliot Hospital
One Elliot Way
Manchester, NH 03103
(603)669-5300

Manchester VA Medical Center
718 Smyth Rd
Manchester, NH 03104
(603)624-4366

Parkland Medical Center
One Parkland Dr
Derry, NH 03038
(603)432-1500

New Hampshire Hospital
36 Clinton St
Concord, NH 03301
(603)271-5300

Concord Hospital
250 Pleasant St
Concord, NH 03301
(603)225-2711

HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital
254 Pleasant St
Concord, NH 03301
(603)226-9800

Southern New Hampshire Medical Center
8 Prospect St
Nashua, NH 03060
(603)577-2000

St Joseph Hospital
172 Kinsley St
Nashua, NH 03061
(603)882-3000

Hampstead Hospital
218 East Rd
Hampstead, NH 03841
(603)329-5311

Northeast Rehabilitation Health Network
70 Butler St
Salem, NH 03079
(603)893-2900

Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center
1 Verney Dr
Greenfield, NH 03047
(603)547-3311

Caritas Holy Family Hospital and Medical Center
70 East St
Methuen, MA 01844
(978)687-0151

HC Solomon Mental Health Center
391 Varnum Ave
Lowell, MA 01854
(978)322-5000

Lowell General Hospital
295 Varnum Ave
Lowell, MA 01854
(978)937-6000

Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital Haverhill
76 Summer St
Haverhill, MA 01830
(978)372-8000

Monadnock Community Hospital
452 Old Street Rd
Peterborough, NH 03458
(603)924-7191

Lawrence General Hospital
1 General St
Lawrence, MA 01842
(978)683-4000

Saints Medical Center
One Hospital Dr
Lowell, MA 01852
(978)458-1411

Merrimack Valley Hospital
140 Lincoln Ave
Haverhill, MA 01830
(978)374-2000

Exeter Hospital
5 Alumni Dr
Exeter, NH 03833
(603)778-7311

Isham Health Center
180 Main St
Andover, MA 01810
(978)749-4455

Tewksbury Hospital
365 East St
Tewksbury, MA 01876
(978)851-7321

Nashoba Valley Medical Center
200 Groton Rd
Ayer, MA 01432
(978)784-9000

Baldpate Hospital
83 Baldpate Rd
Georgetown, MA 01833
(978)352-2131

Anna Jaques Hospital
25 Highland Ave
Newburyport, MA 01950
(978)463-1000

Health Alliance Burbank Hospital
275 Nichols Rd
Fitchburg, MA 01420
(978)343-5000

Franklin Regional Hospital
15 Aiken Ave
Franklin, NH 03235
(603)934-2060

Frisbie Memorial Hospital
11 Whitehall Rd
Rochester, NH 03867
(603)332-5211

Wentworth-Douglass Hospital
789 Central Ave
Dover, NH 03820
(603)742-5252

Portsmouth Regional Hospital
333 Borthwick Ave
Portsmouth, NH 03801
(603)436-5110

HealthAlliance Hospital Leominster Campus
60 Hospital Rd
Leominster, MA 01453
(978)466-2000

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