Definition

Appendicitis (pronounced uh-pen-di-SIE-tis) is the inflammation of the appendix, a worm-shaped pouch near the beginning of the large intestine. The appendix has no known function in the body, but it can become diseased. Appendicitis is a medical emergency. If the condition is left untreated, the appendix may rupture and cause a potentially fatal infection.

Description

Appendicitis is the most common abdominal emergency among children and young adults. One person in fifteen develops appendicitis in his or her lifetime. The frequency of appendicitis is highest among males between the ages of ten and fourteen and among females between the ages of fifteen and nineteen. The disease is rare among the elderly and in children under the age of two.

The main symptom of appendicitis is increasingly severe pain in the abdomen. Many different conditions can cause abdominal pain, so an accurate diagnosis of appendicitis can be difficult. A...