What You Can Learn from a Surgeon Who Removed His Own Appendix
WHY IS THERE a photograph of penguins? Our remarkable story comes from Antarctica. It is the tale of Russian surgeon Leonid Rogozov. During an expedition to the bottom of the earth, he experiences general fatigue, weakness, and nausea. As the sole doctor on the team, he diagnoses acute appendicitis. But now what?
Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix, a finger-shaped pouch that sticks out from your large intestine (colon) in the lower right abdomen. Acute appendicitis is the most common abdominal surgical emergency globally, with a lifetime risk of about nine percent in males and seven percent in females. While it can occur at any age, it is most likely to affect people between the ages of ten and 30.
What causes appendicitis? It can happen if the appendix gets blocked, for example, by a foreign body, cancer, or even poop. Infection can be a cause. How would you know if you are experiencing the condition? Classic symptoms include pain in the lower right side of your belly or near your navel. Pain is often the first sign.
Other classic symptoms include nausea and vomiting after the abdominal discomfort begins. You may have a swollen belly, loss of appetite, or a fever. Some cannot pass gas. Severe cramps, constipation or diarrhea with gas, painful urination, or challenges peeing…
