Keyhole surgery
Laparoscopic appendix operation
Keyhole removal of an inflamed appendix. Appendicitis is usually an emergency, and this operation is performed urgently rather than scheduled.
In plain language
What this operation is
The appendix is a small tube attached to the beginning of the large intestine. When it becomes blocked and inflamed — appendicitis — it can burst, which spreads infection through the abdomen.
Classic appendicitis begins as vague pain around the navel that moves to the lower right side over a few hours, becoming sharper and worse on movement or coughing. Nausea and a mild fever are common.
A laparoscopic appendectomy removes the appendix through three small ports.
Who it is for
When this operation is advised
- Pain that starts near the navel and settles in the lower right abdomen
- Pain that worsens with movement, coughing or pressing
- Loss of appetite, nausea or a low fever alongside the pain
- Ultrasound or CT findings consistent with appendicitis
And when it is not. Not every right-sided abdominal pain is appendicitis. Examination and imaging are what separate it from other causes.
How it works
From assessment to follow-up
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01
Assessment
Examination, blood tests and usually an ultrasound or CT. Appendicitis is often a clinical diagnosis supported by imaging.
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02
Urgency
Where appendicitis is confirmed, surgery is arranged urgently. Delay increases the risk of perforation.
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03
The operation
Three small ports. The appendix is freed, its base secured, and it is removed through a port.
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04
Afterwards
Most patients stay a short time in hospital. Wound care and activity guidance are given at discharge.
Afterwards
What recovery involves
Recovery differs between patients. What follows is what usually happens — your own timeframe is given at discharge, based on the operation you actually had.
- Most people are walking the same day.
- A simple appendicitis usually means a shorter stay than one where the appendix has already burst.
- Return to work depends on the job and on whether there was perforation or infection.
- Wounds are small, but they still need to be kept clean and dry as instructed.
When to go to hospital instead
Sudden severe abdominal pain with fever, a rigid abdomen, or vomiting that will not stop needs a hospital the same day. Do not wait.
Common questions
Questions patients ask
Anything not covered here can be answered at the consultation.
01 Can appendicitis be treated with antibiotics instead?
Antibiotics can settle some episodes, and they are sometimes used to control infection before surgery. But the appendix remains, and the problem can return. Surgery is the definitive treatment, and where the appendix is at risk of bursting it is the safer course.
Treatment02 How urgent is it?
Appendicitis is treated as an emergency. An inflamed appendix can perforate within a day or two, which makes the operation and the recovery considerably more involved.
Urgency03 Will I have a large scar?
Keyhole surgery leaves three small incisions rather than one longer cut in the lower right abdomen. If the appendix has burst or the anatomy is unclear, open surgery may be safer, and that leaves a larger wound.
Scars04 অ্যাপেন্ডিক্সের ব্যথা চেনার উপায় কী?
সাধারণত নাভির চারপাশে অস্পষ্ট ব্যথা দিয়ে শুরু হয়, কয়েক ঘণ্টার মধ্যে তলপেটের ডান দিকে সরে যায় এবং তীব্র হয়। নড়াচড়া বা কাশিতে ব্যথা বাড়ে, সঙ্গে বমি ভাব ও হালকা জ্বর থাকতে পারে। এমন হলে দেরি না করে হাসপাতালে যান।
লক্ষণNext step
Bring your reports to a consultation
Often one visit is enough to know whether an operation is needed at all.