Glenn Beck has Appendix Removed

Controversial Fox News commentator, Glenn Beck, was hospitalized yesterday with the sudden onset of appendicitis while doing his morning radio show. He underwent surgery to remove the infected appendix. Beck is expected to make a full recovery.

What is the appendix and what is appendicitis?
The appendix is a hollow pouch, about the size and shape of your little finger, off the end of the large intestine, and in located in the right lower part of the abdomen. The function of the appendix is unknown and its removal does not seem to cause any harm to a person’s health.Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix when the opening of the pouch becomes obstructed, allowing germs to overgrow and cause an infection. If left untreated, the appendix can become so swollen that it bursts open, allowing germs to spill out into abdominal cavity outside of the intestines (also known as the peritoneal cavity). This infection of the peritoneal cavity is a more dangerous condition, known as peritonitis.

Anyone can get appendicitis, but it is most common in people aged 10-30. The classic signs and symptoms of appendicitis include:

• Severe abdominal pain, typically starting around the umbilicus (belly button),then moving to the right lower abdomen as the disease progresses.Symptoms may progress over a period of 12-18 hours.
• Fever
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Tenderness in right lower abdomen on examination, especially with “guarding” or”rebound.” Guarding is a subconscious tightening of the abdominal muscles, even before the abdomen is touched. Rebound is when the pain is worse when an examiner hand lifts up than when the examiner presses down on the abdomen.
• Movement of the leg in certain directions causes pain in the right lower abdomen (psoas and obturator signs).
• There are other diseases whose symptoms can mimic appendicitis, so examination by a doctor is essential.

Treatment is the surgical removal of the appendix through a small incision in the lower abdomen.
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