Learn what a typical Appendicitis prognosis is at Consumer Reports Health.

Appendicitis

What will happen to me?

If you have appendicitis, you will normally need surgery to take out your appendix. Your doctor may call this an appendectomy.

Your appendix can be removed through open surgery, when the surgeon makes a cut in your lower abdomen. Or it can be done through keyhole surgery, which is done using three or four smaller cuts, and with the help of cameras. Keyhole surgery is also called laparoscopy.

When you go to your doctor with pain in your abdomen, he or she will feel the area to see if it is tender. If your doctor thinks you might have appendicitis he or she may do some tests, such as blood tests. If you are a woman, your doctor may suggest a test to see if you're pregnant. That's because appendicitis can be more difficult for your doctor to spot if you're pregnant.

Your doctor may do other tests as well, such as a

CT scan
A CT scan is a type of X-ray. It takes several detailed pictures of the inside of your body from different angles. CT stands for computed tomography. It's also called a CAT scan (computed axial tomography).

CT scan or an

ultrasound
Ultrasound is a tool doctors use to create images of the inside of your body. The ultrasound machine sends out high-frequency sound waves, which are directed at an area of your body through a device such as a probe. The waves reflect off parts of your body to create a picture. Ultrasound is often used to see a developing baby inside a woman's womb.

ultrasound. These help your doctor see your appendix and decide if it is

inflammation
If your skin or some other part of your body becomes red, swollen, hot or sore, we say it is inflamed. It means that your body is trying to protect you from germs, from something in your body tissues that can hurt you (like a thorn or sliver), or from things that cause allergies (allergens). Inflammation is part of the way the body heals an infection or injury.

inflamed.

Sometimes your doctor may not be sure whether you have appendicitis. This is more likely if you are a woman. To find out for sure whether you have appendicitis, your doctor may do laparoscopy (keyhole surgery) to look inside your abdomen. If you have appendicitis, your appendix can be taken out during the operation.

It's difficult to say what would happen to you if you got appendicitis and didn't have surgery. Sometimes an inflamed appendix bursts. This can cause a dangerous infection in your abdomen, called peritonitis. Between about 2 in 10 and 4 in 10 people get a burst appendix a day or two after they first get symptoms of appendicitis.

Source:
Humes DJ, Simpson J.
Acute appendicitis.
BMJ. 2006; 333: 530-534.

¹ So, doctors think it is very important to take out a person's appendix quickly.

A burst appendix is more common in babies, young children and older people. That's because appendicitis is harder for doctors to spot in children and older people.

Source:
Humes DJ, Simpson J.
Acute appendicitis.
BMJ. 2006; 333: 530-534.

¹ If your appendix does burst, you'll probably need emergency surgery. And you'll be given antibiotics to treat infection. A burst appendix is more serious than ordinary appendicitis, but most people still recover well.

We don't know what happens to people who don't have surgery for appendicitis. It wouldn't be fair to do studies, because we know that a burst appendix can be dangerous. However, some people do seem to get appendicitis that comes and goes on its own.

Source:
Cobben LP, de van Otterloo AM, Puylaert JB.
Spontaneously resolving acute appendicitis: frequency and natural history in 60 patients.
Radiology. 2000; 215: 349-352.

Source:
Barber MD, McLaren J, Rainey JB.
Recurrent appendicitis.
British Journal of Surgery. 1997; 84: 110-112.

Source:
Mattei P, Sola JE, Yeo CJ.
Chronic and recurrent appendicitis are uncommon entities often misdiagnosed.
Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 1994; 178: 385-389.

⁴

After surgery, most people recover very well from appendicitis. All operations have risks. It is possible for someone to die during surgery to remove their appendix. But the risk is very small. Less than 3 in 1,000 people die during the operation or soon afterward.

Source:
Velanovich V, Satava R.
Balancing the normal appendectomy rate with the perforated appendicitis rate: implications for quality assurance.
American Surgeon. 1992; 58: 264-269.

⁵ If someone's appendix bursts before surgery, the risk is slightly higher, but most people still recover completely. About 17 in 1,000 people die if their appendix bursts before they have surgery.

Source:
Velanovich V, Satava R.
Balancing the normal appendectomy rate with the perforated appendicitis rate: implications for quality assurance.
American Surgeon. 1992; 58: 264-269.

⁵

Some other problems that might happen after surgery for appendicitis are:

An infection in the place where the surgeon cuts your skin
An infection and sac of pus inside your abdomen (an abscess)
Problems from the

anesthetic
An anesthetic is a chemical that blocks your ability to feel sensations like pain or heat. A local anesthetic blocks the feeling in a specific area of the body. For example, your dentist uses a local anesthetic like Novocaine in your gums so that you don't feel the pain of having a cavity filled. A general anesthetic makes you completely unconscious and is usually used only in a carefully controlled environment like an operating room.

anesthetic. For example, some people are

allergy
If you have an allergy to something, your body overreacts when you're around it. The thing you are allergic to is called an allergen. Most allergens are harmless to most people. But if you're allergic to something, your body's system for fighting infection (your immune system) is too sensitive to that allergen. It triggers changes that we call allergic reactions. For example, pollen is an allergen for many people. If you're allergic to pollen, you'll sneeze and have runny eyes when pollen is in the air.

allergic to anesthetic. Tell your doctor if you have any allergies.

Sometimes, after a surgeon has removed someone's appendix, tests show that it was normal. Although surgery has some risks, there's a chance someone's appendix could burst if they don't get treatment. So most doctors think it's better to have the operation and be on the safe side. That's why surgeons sometimes end up removing a healthy appendix.

Sources for the information on this page:

Humes DJ, Simpson J.Acute appendicitis.BMJ. 2006; 333: 530-534.

Cobben LP, de van Otterloo AM, Puylaert JB.Spontaneously resolving acute appendicitis: frequency and natural history in 60 patients.Radiology. 2000; 215: 349-352.

Barber MD, McLaren J, Rainey JB.Recurrent appendicitis.British Journal of Surgery. 1997; 84: 110-112.

Mattei P, Sola JE, Yeo CJ.Chronic and recurrent appendicitis are uncommon entities often misdiagnosed.Journal of the American College of Surgeons. 1994; 178: 385-389.

Velanovich V, Satava R.Balancing the normal appendectomy rate with the perforated appendicitis rate: implications for quality assurance.American Surgeon. 1992; 58: 264-269.

This information was last updated on Nov 06, 2008

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
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