Mouth Ulcer, Uric Acid, Cervical Cancer, Weight Gain, Hernia, Masturbation, Viagra, Anal Sex, Ejaculation
DoctorNDTV Search
 
Q&A
If you have any query about any medical problem get an answer from an expert
Comments: Read | Post

Can appendicitis be carried out during pregnancy?

Answered by : Prof Suneet Sood
Consultant Surgeon, Malaysia
Google Buzz

Q. My 23 years old wife is 16 weeks pregnant and often experiences stomach pain. The pain is due to appendix. Can she be operated for appendix during pregnancy? Though she is better at present, I fear that the appendix may burst and harm the mother as well as the child. What should we do?

A.  From your description I cannot say whether or not the pain was caused by appendicitis. Most of the diagnosis of appendicitis depends upon examination of the patient. Appendicitis can sometimes be treated successfully with antibiotics. However, there is the danger of the appendix bursting, therefore surgery is definitely the better treatment for acute appendicitis. Since your wife is better, either she did not have appendicitis, or she has recovered with antibiotics. Therefore, in any case, she does not require surgery at present.

After the pregnancy is over, if she gets abdominal pain, and if the doctors say this is appendicitis, she should undergo surgery.

If she gets pain during pregnancy, at any stage of the pregnancy, then also she should undergo surgery if the doctors say it is appendicitis. You must clearly understand that a burst appendix is always dangerous, and a burst appendix is more dangerous in the pregnant woman. Therefore if your doctors say "appendicitis" (in any patient, man or woman, pregnant or non-pregnant, adult or child, young or old) you should ask them "Why aren't you operating?", not "Why are you operating?"

A.  From your description I cannot say whether or not the pain was caused by appendicitis. Most of the diagnosis of appendicitis depends upon examination of the patient. Appendicitis can sometimes be treated successfully with antibiotics. However, there is the danger of the appendix bursting, therefore surgery is definitely the better treatment for acute appendicitis. Since your wife is better, either she did not have appendicitis, or she has recovered with antibiotics. Therefore, in any case, she does not require surgery at present.

After the pregnancy is over, if she gets abdominal pain, and if the doctors say this is appendicitis, she should undergo surgery.

If she gets pain during pregnancy, at any stage of the pregnancy, then also she should undergo surgery if the doctors say it is appendicitis. You must clearly understand that a burst appendix is always dangerous, and a burst appendix is more dangerous in the pregnant woman. Therefore if your doctors say "appendicitis" (in any patient, man or woman, pregnant or non-pregnant, adult or child, young or old) you should ask them "Why aren't you operating?", not "Why are you operating?"

Comments: Read | Post
More from this section
More »
Post comments
We request you not to tell us about your medical problems through this comment tool.
We are unable to keep track of the innumerable queries and their answers that we get everyday unless they are sent through "Ask a Question"

Name:*   E-mail:*
City:   Phone:
Comments:* 7000 characters remaining
Spam protection
Enter the code:*
Disclaimer: Material sent in this section is contributed by users. DoctorNDTV accepts no responsibility for the content or accuracy of such material and does not endorse or subscribe to the content.
----------------------- Advertisement --------------------------
 
 
Poll
Q. Should junk food outlets have a statutory warning to prevent childhood obesity?
Yes No Can't Say
Post your comment | Previous poll  
 
Survey
Gender discrimination & health
Gender discrimination & health
Women often get neglected when it comes to health care programmes, leading to malnutrition and higher rates of mortality.
Join survey »
 
Bouquets & Brickbats
Thankful to you...
Sent by Arvind 
More »
Follow us on Twitter@DoctorNDTV
-------------------------------- Advertisement -----------------------------------
New in the DoctorNDTV series - DoctorNDTV book on Diabetes