Appendicitis News and Research

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Appendicitis is a painful swelling and infection of the appendix. The appendix is a fingerlike pouch attached to the large intestine and located in the lower right area of the abdomen. Scientists are not sure what the appendix does, if anything, but removing it does not appear to affect a person’s health. The inside of the appendix is called the appendiceal lumen. Mucus created by the appendix travels through the appendiceal lumen and empties into the large intestine.

Laser-based therapy shows promise against dangerous abdominal infections in children

Children whose appendix has burst often develop serious abdominal infections that are hard to treat and increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

1 Sep 2026

High-risk emergency surgery reduces healthy days at home for seniors

Older adults who undergo high-risk emergency general surgery spend significantly fewer days living independently at home after surgery than those undergoing lower-risk procedures, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS).

14 Jul 2026

Autonomous medical AI outperforms doctors in simulated EHR cases

MIRA, an autonomous AI agent tested in a sandboxed electronic health record, diagnosed 574 real emergency department cases with 88.9% accuracy and outperformed physicians in a matched 311-case comparison. The system ordered tests, generated medication plans, and made admission decisions in simulation, but the authors stress that prospective validation, governance, and physician oversight are still essential.

21 Jun 2026

Post-discharge oral antibiotics show no benefit for pediatric appendicitis

Acute appendicitis is one of the most common surgical emergencies among children, and complicated acute appendicitis (CAA), including perforated or gangrenous disease, carries a higher risk of infection and longer hospitalization.

1 Jun 2026

Study identifies intersectional biases affecting care for sickle cell patients

In season 1, episode 2 of the popular show The Pitt, a Black woman with sickle cell disease arrives at the emergency department in acute pain, only to be initially dismissed as drug-seeking.

13 Apr 2026

Higher mortality risk in IBS patients using antidepressants

Research indicates that antidepressant use in IBS is linked to a 35% higher risk of all-cause mortality, highlighting safety issues with long-term treatment.

13 Apr 2026

Extended monitoring identifies many more severe pregnancy complication cases

Extending the monitoring period for severe pregnancy complications showed more than 40% of cases were missed using traditional delivery-focused monitoring, according to new research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.251425 that extended monitoring from conception to 6 weeks postpartum.

16 Mar 2026

Scorpion peppers caused him ‘crippling’ pain. Two years later, The ER bill stung him again.

Maxwell Kruzic said he was in such "crippling" stomach pain on Oct. 5, 2023, that he had to pull off the road twice as he drove himself to the emergency room at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango, Colorado. "It was the worst pain of my life," he said.

19 Dec 2025

Why measles is back in the U.S. and what doctors must know now

Measles is making a troubling comeback in the U.S., driven by declining vaccination rates and rising vaccine hesitancy. Pediatric infectious disease experts provide clinical guidance to help healthcare providers recognize, manage, and prevent measles in today’s outbreak-prone environment.

14 Apr 2025

Children with complicated appendicitis can safely recover at home after surgery

Almost half of children who require surgery for complicated appendicitis can safely complete their recovery at home, according to a new study.

20 Mar 2025

Urgent action needed to address emergency and surgical care gaps

Integrated emergency, critical, and surgical care must be strengthened and scaled up globally, warn authors of a new paper (1) published in the March issue of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization.

3 Mar 2025

COVID-19 pandemic linked to increased emergency department walkouts

Researchers have long known that patients who leave emergency departments before medically advised use more emergency care services, are more likely to be readmitted to the hospital and face higher costs of care-as well as increased mortality rates.

31 Jan 2025

Research highlights differences in how hospitals diagnose appendicitis in children

Abdominal pain is among the most common reasons children are taken to the emergency department.

29 Jan 2025

GLP-1RA initiation linked to new thyroid cancer diagnoses

Researchers investigate the risk of incident thyroid cancer among patients treated with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists.

28 Jan 2025

Antibiotics prove to be a cheaper and effective option for pediatric appendicitis

Using antibiotics alone to treat children with uncomplicated appendicitis is a cost-saving alternative to surgery, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS).

26 Nov 2024

Study highlights inequities in emergency care for unintentional ingestions in children

Unintentional injuries like falls, drownings and poisonings are the leading cause of death in patients ages 1-4, and a significant portion of these deaths are linked to unintentional ingestions - such as swallowing a drug or poison.

27 Sep 2024

Study shows antipsychotic drugs increase health risks in dementia patients

Study found that antipsychotic drug use in dementia patients is linked to increased risks of stroke, heart failure, and other serious conditions.

18 Apr 2024

Medical clowns boost sleep quality and reduce hospital stay for children, study finds

Researchers evaluated the impact of medical clown interventions on sleep quality and hospital stay duration in pediatric patients.

31 Jan 2024

Women and minorities bear the brunt of medical misdiagnosis

Charity Watkins sensed something was deeply wrong when she experienced exhaustion after her daughter was born.

18 Jan 2024

Study describes health outcomes following simultaneous vaccination with monovalent primary series COVID-19 vaccines

Researchers described simultaneous vaccination with primary series SARS-CoV-2 vaccines

19 Jun 2023