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Appendectomy Center - Southaven, MS

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Southaven, Mississippi

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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 Southaven

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Southaven Hospitals *

Baptist Memorial Hospital Desoto
7601 Southcrest Pkwy
Southaven, MS 38671
(662)772-4000

Methodist Healthcare South Hospital
1300 Wesley Dr
Memphis, TN 38116
(901)516-3700

Delta Medical Center
3000 Getwell Rd
Memphis, TN 38118
(901)369-8100

Parkwood Behavioral Health System
8135 Goodman Rd
Olive Branch, MS 38654
(662)895-4900

HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital
1282 Union Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
(901)722-2000

Methodist University Hospital
1265 Union Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
(901)516-7000

LeBonheur Children's Medical Center
50 N Dunlap St
Memphis, TN 38103
(901)287-5437

Memphis Mental Health Institute
951 Court Ave
Memphis, TN 38103
(901)577-1434

Memphis VA Medical Center
1030 Jefferson Ave
Memphis, TN 38104
(901)523-8990

Regional Medical Center at Memphis
877 Jefferson Ave
Memphis, TN 38103
(901)545-7100

Saint Francis Hospital
5959 Park Ave
Memphis, TN 38119
(901)765-1000

Select Specialty Hospital Memphis
5959 Park Ave
Memphis, TN 38119
(901)765-1245

St Jude Children's Research Hospital
332 N Lauderdale St
Memphis, TN 38105
(901)495-3300

Baptist Memorial Hospital Memphis
6019 Walnut Grove Rd
Memphis, TN 38120
(901)226-5000

Baptist Memorial Restorative Care Hospital
6019 Walnut Grove Rd
Memphis, TN 38120
(901)226-1400

Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women
6225 Humphreys Blvd
Memphis, TN 38120
(901)227-9000

Methodist LeBonheur Germantown
7691 Poplar Ave
Germantown, TN 38138
(901)516-6418

Baptist Rehabilitation Hospital Germantown
2100 Exeter Rd
Germantown, TN 38138
(901)757-1350

Crittenden Regional Hospital
200 Tyler Ave
West Memphis, AR 72301
(870)735-1500

Baptist Memorial Hospital Collierville
1500 W Poplar Ave
Collierville, TN 38017
(901)861-9000

Methodist Healthcare North Hospital
3960 New Covington Pike
Memphis, TN 38128
(901)516-5200

Saint Francis Hospital Bartlett
2986 Kate Bond Rd
Memphis, TN 38133
(901)820-7000

Lakeside Behavioral Health System
2911 Brunswick Rd
Memphis, TN 38133
(901)377-4700

North Oak Regional Medical Center
401 Getwell Dr
Senatobia, MS 38668
(662)562-3100

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