Appendicitis : Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatments

Acute appendicitis is caused by inflammation of the vermiform appendix and usually causes pain in the right lower abdominal quadrant, referred rebound tenderness, overlying muscle spasm and cutaneous hyperesthesia. This disease is common and occurs with an annual incidence of 0.25% in the normal population, and there is a lifetime risk for acute appendicitis of 7-9%. This book presents research data from across the globe in the study of appendicitis, its symptoms, diagnosis and treatments. Included herein are topics such as appendicitis during pregnancy; antibiotic therapy alone in the management of acute appendicitis; diagnostic strategies and immunology in acute appendicitis; and utilization of the Alvarado score to perform CT for acute appendicitis.