How is appendicitis caused? Appendicitis is known to be one of the most prevalent and common diseases in general surgery. Many people have experienced pain in the appendix, and in more severe cases, they need to take medication to relieve the pain, and in more severe cases, they even need to undergo surgery. Appendicitis is so dangerous, but how is it caused? The onset of appendicitis is related to the following three factors.
1, appendicitis is caused by infection
How is appendicitis caused? There is an important relationship between the invasion of bacteria in the appendiceal cavity.
The appendix cavity is connected to the cecum and therefore has the same species and number of bacteria such as E. coli and anaerobic bacteria as in the cecum cavity. These bacteria do not normally cause appendicitis, but once the appendiceal mucosa is slightly damaged, bacteria can invade the appendiceal canal wall and cause varying degrees of infection.
In a small number of patients with upper respiratory tract infections, the causative organisms of the infection can also be transmitted from the bloodstream to the appendix. There are also some appendiceal infections that start from purulent infections in the organs adjacent to the appendix, which invade the appendix because of their proximity.
2. Appendicitis is caused by obstruction
How is appendicitis caused? Obstruction of the appendix is also related.
The appendix is a long and thin tube, only one end of which is connected to the cecum, so once obstructed, it can cause secretions to accumulate in the lumen, increase the internal pressure, compress the appendix wall and obstruct the distal blood flow, resulting in damage to the appendix mucosa. At this time, if bacteria are present in the lumen, they can take advantage of this to invade the damaged mucosa and cause appendicitis.
The common obstructive factors that cause appendicitis are.
(1) Lesions near the appendix opening in the cecum, such as inflammation, polyps, tuberculosis, tumors, etc., which cause pressure on the appendix opening and obstruction of emptying. Fecal stone obstruction is the most common, accounting for about one-third of cases.
(2) Blockage of the appendiceal cavity by fecal stones, dry fecal masses, food debris, foreign bodies, roundworms, etc;
(3) The appendiceal wall has been damaged, resulting in narrowing or adhesions in the lumen;
(4) The lymphatic tissue in the appendiceal wall has become hyperplastic or edematous, resulting in narrowing of the appendiceal lumen;
(5) The appendiceal tract is too short and the appendix is twisted, which hinders the patency of the appendiceal duct.
3. Other factors causing appendicitis
Other factors that are thought to be related to the development of appendicitis include visceral nerve reflexes due to gastrointestinal dysfunction such as diarrhea and constipation. These visceral nerve reflexes caused by gastrointestinal symptoms can lead to spasm of the appendiceal muscles and blood vessels, and once the spasm exceeds the normal intensity, it can cause narrowing of the appendiceal lumen, impaired blood supply, and mucosal damage, thus providing the possibility of bacterial invasion and causing appendiceal inflammation.
In addition, the development of appendicitis is also related to dietary habits and genetics. Investigations have shown that the low incidence of appendicitis in areas with a multi-fiber diet may be related to faster colon emptying and reduced constipation; people who habitually apply laxatives due to constipation may cause congestion of the intestinal mucosa, which can also affect the appendix. Genetic factors leading to appendicitis, on the other hand, refer to the presence of congenital malformations of the appendix. Congenital appendiceal malformation conditions such as excessive twisting, small lumen, excessive length, and poor blood flow are more likely to cause acute appendicitis.
These are the specific factors of how appendicitis is caused. Knowing the reasons why appendicitis is triggered, you can treat it with the right medicine. There are two common treatments for appendicitis: internal medication and surgery.
Internal medicine is used to treat appendicitis, as exemplified by the internal appendix anti-inflammatory soup. Place the tablets and powder packets of the formula together in a pot, so that the tablets are tightly wrapped around the powder packets. Add water to soak, boil on high heat until boiling, continue to decoct on low heat and then take. Take 1 dose daily, divided into 3 doses.
Perform surgery to treat appendicitis, as an example of performing appendectomy. A right lower abdominal oblique incision is usually used. The appendix is found under direct vision, then the appendix root is found along the colonic band, the appendix is clamped out with ring forceps or long toothless forceps, the appendix root is cut off, the severed end is ligated, the stump is coated with carbolic acid, alcohol and saline, and the stump is sutured with the purse-string method and buried internally into the appendix.
If appendicitis is not treated in time, it can lead to female infertility. This is because, in order to conceive life, in addition to normal ovulation, several factors are also very crucial: one is normal tubal morphology and good activity to capture eggs well; another is a patent fallopian tube to ensure the smooth passage of fertilized eggs; and another is a normal uterine lining to allow fertilized eggs to bed and grow. The female genitalia are not separate, isolated organs; they are adjacent to many other organs in the pelvis. Therefore, inflammation of any organ in the pelvis can involve the female genitalia in the pelvis.
The appendix is located in the pelvic cavity and its anatomical location is right next to the right fallopian tube. Therefore, once the inflammation of the appendix becomes severe, it may form an appendiceal abscess and perforate, which may spread directly to the adjacent fallopian tubes or, through the development of peritonitis, involve both fallopian tubes and affect the normal function of the female genitalia, thus leading to female infertility.