Appendectomy is surgery to remove an inflamed or infected appendix. Surgeons have been doing appendectomies for over a century. It’s still the definitive treatment for appendicitis. Today, surgeons can do open or laparoscopic appendectomy. Both methods have excellent success rates over 95%.
Appendectomy is surgery to remove an inflamed or infected appendix (appendicitis). Your appendix is a small, tube-like organ that extends from your colon on the lower-right side of your belly.
Because an inflamed appendix has the potential to rupture (burst), appendicitis is a medical emergency. On the other hand, a healthy appendix doesn’t appear to have any essential function. If you must have your appendix removed, you won’t miss it.
Because it’s so small, your appendix swells quickly with inflammation and doesn’t take much to burst. A burst appendix can spread infection throughout your abdominal cavity, leading to peritonitis (inflammation in your abdominal lining). If the infection spreads to your bloodstream, it can lead to sepsis, a serious, life-threatening condition. Your appendix can rupture within 36 hours of your first symptoms, so when you seek treatment, time is of the essence.
In most cases, appendectomy is the safest treatment for appendicitis in children and adults. There are a few exceptions — for example, some people might not qualify for surgery. Some might only need antibiotics if they have mild appendicitis, or if they catch it early enough. Even so, these people have a higher risk of recurrent (returning) infection. Ultimately, the risk of rupture is much greater than the low risk of surgery. It’s safest to remove your inflamed appendix if it’s at risk of rupturing.
Appendix removal has been the standard treatment for appendicitis for over 100 years. In the United States, surgeons do about 300,000 appendectomies each year.
Advertisement
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
Most appendectomies occur within 24 hours of your appendicitis diagnosis. Prior to your surgery, your healthcare team will place an IV line into a vein so they can give you antibiotics as soon as possible. They’ll continue antibiotic therapy until sometime after the surgery — usually one to seven days — depending on the severity of the infection. Your provider will check your response to the antibiotics to make sure you need surgery before proceeding.
Your healthcare provider may also need to run additional tests before your surgery, like blood tests or imaging scans. These tests can give them more information about the nature of your appendicitis. They’ll also need to review your medical history, including any current medications, allergies or conditions. Based on these and other factors, they’ll explain the type of surgery they want to perform and ask for your consent.
You’ll have to avoid eating and drinking for eight hours before the surgery, but you’ll receive fluids through your IV line.
An anesthesiologist will give you general anesthesia so you can sleep through your surgery. Your team will also place a tube through your mouth and into your throat. This keeps your airway open and allows your team to monitor your breathing during the procedure.
The exact surgical steps vary depending on what type of appendectomy you need: laparoscopic or open.
For a laparoscopic appendectomy, your surgeon will:
With a laparoscopic approach, you’ll have three small incisions between your belly button and your pubic hairline.
In some cases, your surgeon may need to “switch gears” from laparoscopic appendectomy to open appendectomy. This can happen if you have widespread infection in your abdominal cavity.
For an open appendectomy, your surgeon will:
If you have peritonitis, your surgeon may leave a drainage tube in your belly and remove it later.
With an open approach, your appendectomy scar will be about 3 inches (7.63 centimeters) long, on the lower-right side of your abdomen.
Advertisement
On average, appendix removal takes about one hour to complete. It could take more or less time depending on your situation.
If you had a laparoscopic appendectomy with no complications, you might go home the same day. You’ll need someone else to drive you home, though, since the anesthesia will still be wearing off.
If you had a ruptured appendix or open surgery, you might be in the hospital for a few more days. Your healthcare provider will continue to give you IV antibiotics and monitor your condition. If you still have your draining tube, your provider will remove it before you go home.
Advertisement
Appendectomy is the definitive treatment for appendicitis, with a success rate of over 95%.
Complications are rare but possible. They include:
You might experience some side effects of the surgery over the next few days. Common side effects include:
Recuperation after appendectomy can vary depending on how inflamed your appendix was, whether there were complications and how your body responds to the surgery.
Most of your side effects should lessen in a few days. But it may take a few weeks to return to your normal activities. Most people can return to work or school in one to three weeks — up to a month if they have an open appendectomy. Full recovery takes about six weeks.
Here are some guidelines to follow during your appendectomy recovery:
Do:
Don’t:
In general, you should schedule a follow-up appointment with your healthcare provider within two or three weeks of your appendectomy. But you should call them right away if you notice signs of infection like:
Not necessarily. In the U.S. today, laparoscopic appendectomy is more common than the traditional open appendectomy. Laparoscopic surgery is a less invasive alternative. It uses several micro-incisions instead of one larger incision. People who have laparoscopic appendectomy typically recover faster and have less post-operative pain. The type of appendectomy that’s right for you depends on your condition as well as the training and judgment of your surgeon.
You won’t feel anything during the surgery because you’ll be under general anesthesia. Afterward, it’s normal to experience some degree of discomfort. This should improve within a few days. Your healthcare provider will give you medications to ease pain and swelling.
Yes, your body will work just fine without your appendix. You’ll be able to eat the same things and enjoy the same activities you always have.
No one wants to have abdominal surgery. But if you develop appendicitis, you’ll need swift relief. Appendectomy is still the safest, most effective way to treat appendicitis and prevent the spread of infection — which can be catastrophic. Laparoscopic surgery allows for a minimally invasive outpatient procedure when circumstances allow. We hope you don’t have to have an appendectomy. But if you do, you’ll be in good company among the hundreds of thousands each year who undergo the surgery.
Last reviewed on 06/11/2024.
Learn more about the Health Library and our editorial process.
Advertisement
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy