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Appendicitis Center - Grand Island, NE

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Grand Island, Nebraska

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Appendicitis

What is the appendix?

The appendix is a closed-ended, narrow tube up to several inches in length 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 open center of 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, but the layer of muscle is poorly developed.

What is appendicitis and what causes appendicitis?

Appendicitis means 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 might swell and block the appendix. After the blockage occurs, bacteria which normally are found within the appendix 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 of the appendix. The cause of such a rupture is unclear, but it may relate to changes that occur in the lymphatic tissue, for example, inflammation, that lines 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 ...

Recommended Reading Related to Appendicitis

Night Sweats »

Introduction to night sweats

Doctors in primary care fields of medicine often hear their patients complain of night sweats as they are common. Night sweats refer to any excess sweating occurring during the night. However, if your bedroom is unusually hot or you are using too many bedclothes, you may begin to sweat during sleep - and this is normal. In order to distinguish night sweats that arise from medical causes from those that occur because one's surroundings are too warm, doctors generally refer to true night sweats as severe hot flashes occurring at night that can drench sleepwear and sheets, which are not related to an overheated environment.

In one study of 2267 patients visiting a primary care physician, 41% reported experiencing night sweats during the previous month, so the perception of excessive sweating at night is fairly common. It is important to note that flushing (a warmth and redness of the face or trunk) may also be hard t...

Emergency Contact for Grand Island

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Grand Island Hospitals *

St Francis Medical Center
2620 W Faidley Ave
Grand Island, NE 68803
(308)384-4600

VA Medical Center Grand Island
2201 N Broadwell Ave
Grand Island, NE 68803
(308)382-3660

Memorial Hospital
1423 7th St
Aurora, NE 68818
(402)694-3171

Howard County Community Hospital
1113 Sherman St
Saint Paul, NE 68873
(308)754-4421

Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital
715 N St Joseph Ave
Hastings, NE 68901
(402)463-4521

Hastings Regional Center
4200 W 2nd St
Hastings, NE 68901
(402)462-1971

Litzenberg Memorial County Hospital
1715 26th St
Central City, NE 68826
(308)946-3015

Henderson Health Care Services
1621 Front St
Henderson, NE 68371
(402)723-4512

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