APPENDICITIS

Course overview

APPENDICITIS IS THE INFLAMMATION OF THE VERMIFORM APPENDIX. IT TYPICALLY PRESENTS ACUTELY, WITHIN 24 HOURS OF ONSET, BUT CAN ALSO PRESENT AS A MORE CHRONIC CONDITION. CLASSICALLY, APPENDICITIS INITIALLY PRESENTS WITH GENERALIZED OR PERIUMBILICAL ABDOMINAL PAIN THAT LATER LOCALIZES TO THE RIGHT LOWER QUADRANT. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT OF APPENDICITIS AND STRESSES THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING AND TREATING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.