Appendectomy News and Research

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An appendicectomy (or appendectomy) is the surgical removal of the vermiform appendix. This procedure is normally performed as an emergency procedure, when the patient is suffering from acute appendicitis. In the absence of surgical facilities, intravenous antibiotics are used to delay or avoid the onset of sepsis; it is now recognized that many cases will resolve when treated non-operatively. In some cases the appendicitis resolves completely; more often, an inflammatory mass forms around the appendix. This is a relative contraindication to surgery.

Doctors can change opioid prescribing habits, but progress comes in small doses

When they started practicing medicine, most surgeons say, there was little or no information about just how many pain pills patients needed after specific procedures.

14 Aug 2019

Study: Sharing medical 'selfies' with a doctor empowers, reassures healthcare consumers

Taking medical 'selfies' and sharing them with a doctor empowers and reassures healthcare consumers, and can improve doctor-patient relationships, a two-part study led by Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia has found.

29 Jun 2019

Appendix removal linked to increased risk of Parkinson's disease

People who have had their appendix removed may be at an increased risk for developing Parkinson’s disease, according to new research.

10 May 2019

Long-term opioid use by family member associated with higher chances of persistent opioid use by teens

This study looked at whether long-term opioid use by one or more family members was associated with long-term opioid use by adolescents and young adults prescribed opioids for the first time after common surgical or dental procedures.

27 Feb 2019

Researchers assess trends in efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis regimens for surgical procedures

Antibiotic prophylaxis regimens are becoming less effective at preventing surgical site infections following colorectal surgery, researchers at the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy and Princeton University determined through a systematic review of available literature.

27 Nov 2018

The appendix may be associated with Parkinson’s disease

The vermiform appendix or appendix as we commonly know it, is a vestigial organ of the body which does not come into notice unless it is inflamed (such as in appendicitis). In cases of appendicitis, the finger like part of the gut at the base of the caecum is surgically removed.

1 Nov 2018

Study shows spillover effect of evidence-based opioid prescribing for major procedures

To curb the use of opioids after major elective operations and prevent these pain relievers from falling into the wrong hands, surgeons at the University of Michigan developed prescribing recommendations based on published medical evidence for one operation, gall bladder removal, and then discovered a spillover effect that led them to prescribe roughly 10,000 fewer pills for other major operations, according to study results appearing as an "article in press" on the website of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons ahead of print.

27 Jul 2018

People with type 2 diabetes may have increased risk of Parkinson's disease, shows study

People with type 2 diabetes may have an increased risk of having a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease later in life, according to a large study published in the June 13, 2018, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

14 Jun 2018

Wound protector use linked to statistically significant reduction in SSI, study shows

Surgical site infection is a common occurrence among patients who have had gastrointestinal surgery, with reported infection rates varying from 4 to 25 percent.

30 Mar 2018

Colonoscopy linked to increased risk of appendicitis

Although the incidence of appendicitis in the United States has been in decline for many years, the condition still affects approximately seven percent of Americans annually.

27 Jan 2018

New online tool offers opioid prescribing recommendations after surgery

How many prescription pain pills should a patient receive after breast cancer surgery? Or a hernia repair? Or a gallbladder removal?

16 Oct 2017

Study suggests optimal length of opioid pain prescriptions for common surgical procedures

Findings from an analysis that included more than 200,000 patients who underwent common surgical procedures suggests that the optimal length of opioid pain prescriptions is four to nine days for general surgery procedures, four to 13 days for women's health procedures, and six to15 days for musculoskeletal procedures, according to a study published by JAMA Surgery.

28 Sep 2017

Study finds outpatient laparoscopic appendectomy to be safe, viable in public county hospital

Laparoscopic surgical procedures have many benefits over traditional open operations, like decreased length of stay at the hospital, less postoperative pain for patients, and earlier resumption of an oral diet.

19 Apr 2017

EHR systems improve outcomes for weekend surgery patients, study shows

Electronic health record systems significantly improve outcomes for patients who undergo surgeries on weekends, according to a Loyola Medicine study published in JAMA Surgery.

29 Mar 2017

Clinical study to examine whether antibiotics can be safe, effective alternative to appendectomy

For 130 years, surgery has been the standard treatment for appendicitis — inflammation of the appendix, a short tube extending from the colon.

17 Mar 2017

Antibiotics may be effective treatment for acute appendicitis in children, study shows

A study by researchers at the University of Southampton shows that antibiotics may be an effective treatment for acute non-complicated appendicitis in children, instead of surgery.

17 Feb 2017

Access to anesthesia care not increased when states ‘opt-out’ of Medicare rule, study finds

Patient access to anesthesia care for seven common surgical procedures is not increased when states "opt-out" of the Medicare rule that requires anesthesia to be administered with physician supervision, reports a study published in the Online First edition of Anesthesiology, the peer-reviewed medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

20 Jan 2017

Study shows appendicitis patients can be safely discharged on same day of surgery

Patients with acute appendicitis who undergo laparoscopic appendectomy do not experience higher rates of postoperative complications or costly readmissions when sent home on the same day of their operations compared with patients hospitalized overnight, according to study results published online as an "article in press" on the Journal of the American College of Surgeons website ahead of print publication.

15 Nov 2016

Study shows how comorbid mental health conditions can impact child's care in hospital

Children hospitalized for medical or surgical procedures who have an existing mental health condition stay in the hospital longer than children without these conditions.

14 Nov 2016

Novel surgical approach can help remove diseased gallbladder through single, small incision

A surgical team at UC San Diego Health has completed the first series of operations with a novel surgical system that can remove a diseased gallbladder through a single incision hidden in the belly button.

12 Oct 2016