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Appendectomy Center - Port Saint Lucie, FL

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Port Saint Lucie, Florida

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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 Port Saint Lucie

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Port Saint Lucie Hospitals *

St Lucie Medical Center
1800 SE Tiffany Ave
Port Saint Lucie, FL 34952
(772)335-4000

Port St Lucie Hospital
2550 SE Walton Rd
Port Saint Lucie, FL 34952
(772)335-0400

New Horizon's of the Treasure Coast
4500 W Midway Rd
Fort Pierce, FL 34981
(772)468-5600

Martin Memorial Medical Center
200 SE Hospital Ave
Stuart, FL 34994
(772)287-5200

Lawnwood Regional Medical Center & Heart Institute
1700 S 23rd St
Fort Pierce, FL 34950
(772)461-4000

Lawnwood Pavilion
1860 N Lawnwood Cir
Fort Pierce, FL 34950
(772)466-1500

Martin Memorial Hospital South
2100 SE Salerno Rd
Stuart, FL 34997
(772)223-2300

Sandy Pines Hospital
11301 SE Tequesta Ter
Tequesta, FL 33469
(561)744-0211

Indian River Medical Center
1000 36th St
Vero Beach, FL 32960
(772)567-4311

HEALTHSOUTH Treasure Coast Rehabilitation Hospital
1600 37th St
Vero Beach, FL 32960
(772)778-2100

Jupiter Medical Center
1210 S Old Dixie Hwy
Jupiter, FL 33458
(561)747-2234

Raulerson Hospital
1796 Hwy 441 N
Okeechobee, FL 34972
(863)763-2151

Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center
3360 Burns Rd
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
(561)622-1411

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