An appendectomy is the surgical removal of a patient’s appendix, a small tube attached to the colon. Most appendectomies are performed to treat an inflamed appendix (appendicitis). Left untreated, appendicitis can cause the appendix to rupture. This, in turn, may result in a potentially life-threatening infection of the inner lining (peritoneum) of the abdomen called peritonitis.

An appendectomy is almost always performed as an emergency treatment. Most people are unaware they have appendicitis until the symptoms become severe. Symptoms of appendicitis include pain in the lower right abdomen, fever, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting.

There are two major types of appendectomy procedures: traditional open surgery and laparoscopy. For both, patients are given general anesthesia and are not awake during the procedure. Traditional open surgery involves making an incision in the patient’s lower right abdomen and removing the appendix using surgical instruments. This technique is commonly used, particularly when a patient’s appendix has already ruptured.

Laparoscopic surgery requires just a few tiny incisions into the abdomen. A thin tube with a light and camera called a laparoscope is inserted into one of the incisions. The surgeon uses a monitor to watch the image of the appendix provided by the laparoscope and is able to remove the appendix through one of the incisions with minimum scarring.

Patients who have traditional open surgery usually spend one to three days in the hospital, whereas those who undergo laparoscopy are likely to be discharged from the hospital the same day of the procedure. Full recovery takes several weeks. Most patients do not have to make diet, exercise or other lifestyle changes following an appendectomy.

In rare cases, people who have undergone an appendectomy can experience “stump appendicitis,” inflammation of the tiny part of the appendix that remains after surgery. In such cases, a second surgery may be needed to remove the remainder of the appendix. Leaving a stump less than 3 millimeters long in the original surgery may prevent stump appendicitis.