Guide To Appendicitis Treatment And Recovery

Abscess Drainage

One serious potential complication from appendicitis is when an abscess, a pocket of pus, forms in the abdomen. This occurs when the appendix bursts and the pus floods the rest of the patient's system. A burst appendix is a life-threatening medical emergency. An abscess must be drained by a skilled surgeon. In the majority of cases, the surgeon will insert a tube into the abscess by cutting through the abdominal wall. This allows them to drain the pus from the abdominal cavity so it doesn't interfere with other organs. Rather than being completed in one surgery, the tube is kept in the abdomen for around two weeks. Patients will be prescribed a course of antibiotics to help clear the infection out of their system. When an abscess forms, it must be drained in emergency surgery before an appendectomy can be scheduled.

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