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Appendectomy Center - Spartanburg, SC

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Spartanburg, South 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 Spartanburg

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Spartanburg Hospitals *

Spartanburg Hospital for Restorative Care
389 Serpentine Dr
Spartanburg, SC 29303
(864)560-3280

Spartanburg Regional Medical Center
101 E Wood St
Spartanburg, SC 29303
(864)560-6000

Mary Black Memorial Hospital
1700 Skylyn Dr
Spartanburg, SC 29307
(864)573-3000

The Carolina Center for Behavioral Health
2700 E Phillips Rd
Greer, SC 29650
(864)235-2335

Greer Memorial Hospital
830 S Buncombe Rd
Greer, SC 29650
(864)848-8200

Upstate Carolina Medical Center
1530 N Limestone
Gaffney, SC 29340
(864)487-4271

Bon Secours St Francis Health System Eastside
125 Commonwealth Dr
Greenville, SC 29615
(864)675-4000

GHS Patewood Medical Campus
200 Patewood Dr
Greenville, SC 29615
(864)454-2600

GHS Hillcrest Hospital
729 SE Main St
Simpsonville, SC 29681
(864)967-6100

Wallace Thomson Hospital
322 W South St
Union, SC 29379
(864)427-0351

W J Barge Memorial Hospital
1700 Wade Hampton Blvd
Greenville, SC 29614
(864)242-5100

St Luke's Hospital
101 Hospital Dr
Columbus, NC 28722
(828)894-3311

Crawley Memorial Hospital
315 W College Ave
Boiling Springs, NC 28017
(704)434-9466

Bon Secours St Francis Health System Downtown
One St Francis Dr
Greenville, SC 29601
(864)255-1000

GHS Greenville Memorial Medical Campus
701 Grove Rd
Greenville, SC 29605
(864)455-7000

Regency Hospital of Greenville
One St Francis Dr
Greenville, SC 29601
(864)255-1401

Shriners Hospital For Children
950 W Faris Rd
Greenville, SC 29605
(864)271-3444

Rutherford Hospital
288 S Ridgecrest Ave
Rutherfordton, NC 28139
(828)286-5000

GHS North Greenville Hospital
807 N Main St
Travelers Rest, SC 29690
(864)834-5132

SpringBrook Behavioral Health System
1 Havenwood Ln
Travelers Rest, SC 29690
(864)834-8013

Laurens County Health Care System
22725 Hwy 76 E
Clinton, SC 29325
(864)833-9100

Cleveland Regional Medical Center
201 E Grover St
Shelby, NC 28150
(704)487-3000

Whitten Center Infirmary
28373 Hwy 76 E
Clinton, SC 29325
(864)833-2733

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