Symptoms
The symptoms of acute appendicitis in pregnancy are primarily abdominal pain on the right side. At the beginning of pregnancy these usually move from the middle to the right lower abdomen. From about the 28th week of pregnancy, the ever-increasing size of the uterus causes the appendix to increasingly displace into the upper abdomen, so that the pain can also be localised there.
Other possible symptoms are loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting. Fever is also common, with the difference between the temperature measured in the rectum and the temperature measured in the mouth typically being higher. In the course of the disease, the symptoms usually increase and can even lead to a board-like tension of the abdominal wall.
It is particularly dangerous if the pain suddenly subsides, as this symptom can indicate that the appendix has burst. At the latest then an operation must be performed as soon as possible. In general, symptoms such as newly occurring or increasing abdominal pain during pregnancy should therefore be clarified early on by a medical examination. – Abdominal pain during pregnancy
- This is how appendicitis can be detected
Operation during pregnancy
Surgery for appendicitis is possible and often even unavoidable in order to achieve a cure. Although the operation increases the risk of a miscarriage or premature birth, without an operation it can be life-threatening for the mother and thus also for the child. In principle, the now most commonly used procedure during pregnancy is the “keyhole technique” (laparascopic), which is now the most common, and the conventional open procedure via an incision above the right groin.
In general, the laparascopic procedure offers some advantages, which is why it is chosen much more frequently nowadays for appendicitis. Apart from faster wound healing and fewer wound healing disorders, the remaining scars are only very small. During pregnancy, however, the risk of premature birth is somewhat higher with this procedure, so that the open procedure is chosen even more frequently here. However, the risk of miscarriage is the same for both procedures.
Causes
The causes of appendicitis in pregnancy are usually no different from those in patients who are not pregnant. The appendix is tubular, only a few millimetres in diameter and ends blind. If intestinal bacteria penetrate the wall of the appendix, they can trigger an inflammatory reaction.
One possible cause is, for example, that the opening of the appendix appendix appendix is blocked by a small excrement stone. Another trigger is gastrointestinal infections, which can cause appendicitis. In addition, the appendix can be bent. It is suspected that this cause often leads to the development of appendicitis, especially during pregnancy, due to the displacement of the intestine by the growing uterus.
