Indications:
The appendix is an out-pouching of the bowel about the size of your little finger. It lies low down in the right side of your abdomen. Quite commonly the appendix gets swollen and causes pain. If left it can end up bursting inside the abdomen causing serious infection and illness, and in exceptional cases be fatal. A diseased appendix needs to be taken out. Sometimes in patients with suspicious symptoms, the appendix may turn out to be normal when examined. In cases of doubt, it is safer to remove the appendix than to risk developing complications of leaving a diseased appendix inside.
Procedure:
The appendix is dissected out, cut off at its base and then removed. Any associated pus collection is thoroughly washed out. The operation is done through three small cuts (key hole surgery), one at the belly button for the laparoscope, and then the two others for the operating instruments. The appendix is removed through one of the wounds and the wounds are then stitched up. If the operation cannot be completed laparoscopically, the procedure will be done by making a longer cut/incision in the lower tummy over the right side.
- The main surgical complication is a wound infection and can occur in up to 15 % of patients.
- This risk is higher if the appendix has burst. The wound infection may settle with antibiotics and wound care, but the wound may need to be re-opened, either in the ward or in theatre.
- Other risks include bowel injury, bleeding, delayed return of bowel movement, blood clots in your legs, lung collapse or lung infections like pneumonia.
- Late complications may occur such as a suture granuloma (a mass that forms at the site of the surgery) or a hernia at the site of the wounds.
After your consultation:
- Obtain authorization from your medical aid and book your bed for your hospital admission.
- Carefully read through pre-operative information provided.
Day before surgery:
- Do not eat/drink after 22h00, the night before your surgery, unless otherwise specified by your surgeon or anaesthetist (you should be fasting for at least 6 hours before the procedure for solids but you are allowed to take clear liquids up to two hours before your procedure).
Day of surgery:
- Arrive for admission at indicated time on ‘Code & Consent’ sheet.
- Change into theatre attire, remove all valuable belongings.
Approximately 45-90 minutes.
Duration of hospital stay:
- 1-3 days (dependent on pain management, general state of patient and first bowel movement).
Activities:
- Refrain from strenuous activities (incl. exercise) for at least 4 weeks post-operatively.
Back to work:
- Sick leave required post-operatively is approximately 7-14 days.
Some pain and discomfort post operatively may be expected following any operation, but the following measures are used to lessen the pain experienced:
- Warming devises in theatre as well as warm intravenous fluids.
- Intra-operative pain medication through the drip.
- Post-operative medication through the drip, please inform the nurses if you are in pain so that medication will be administered to you.
- As close to one week after discharge as possible. Please contact the rooms to schedule an appointment.
Other procedures performed by Dr Jeske
A SKIN INCISION IS MADE AND THE CONTENTS OF THE ABSCESS IS DRAINED.
AN OPERATION TO REMOVE ONE (OR BOTH) ADRENAL GLANDS.
THE FISTULA TRACT IS IDENTIFIED AND IS OPENED ALONG ITS LENGTH, AND THE EXPOSED INSIDE OF THE TRACT IS THEN CLEANED OUT.
AN OPERATION TO REMOVE AN APPENDIX THAT IS INFLAMED/SWOLLEN/HAS RUPTURED/HAS FORMED AN ABSCESS.
THE COMMON BILE DUCT (CBD – THE MAIN TUBE CARRYING BILE FROM THE LIVER TO THE INTESTINE) IS OPENED UP. ANY GALLSTONES WITHIN THE DUCT CAUSING A BLOCKAGE CAN BE REMOVED.
AN OPERATION TO REMOVE PART OF/THE ENTIRE COLON.
AN ENDOSCOPIC EXAMINATION OF THE LARGE INTESTINE (COLON & RECTUM).
THE PANCREAS IS EXPOSED AND FREED FROM THE ADJACENT ORGANS. THE TAIL (DISTAL) HALF OF THE PANCREAS IS REMOVED. THE BLOOD VESSELS THAT GO TO THE SPLEEN PASS THROUGH THE PANCREAS. AS A RESULT THE SPLEEN ALSO SOMETIMES NEEDS TO BE REMOVED.
AN INCISION IN THE SKIN NEXT TO THE ANUS TO DRAIN PUS.
ENDOSCOPIC RETROGRADE CHOLANGIOPANCREATOGRAPHY, INVOLVES PASSING A FLEXIBLE ENDOSCOPE (DUODENOSCOPE) THROUGH THE MOUTH AND STOMACH TO THE FIRST PART OF THE BOWEL CALLED THE DUODENUM.
AN OPERATION TO REPAIR AN AREA OF WEAKNESS IN THE MUSCLES WHICH FORM THE LOWER FRONT OF THE STOMACH (IN THE GROIN REGION).
AN ENDOSCOPIC EXAMINATION OF THE STOMACH.
AN OPERATION TO REMOVE COMPLICATED HAEMORRHOIDS (PILES).
AN OPERATION TO REPAIR AN AREA OF WEAKNESS IN AN AREA WHERE PREVIOUS MUSCLE CLOSURE HAS BEEN PERFORMED (AFTER AN ABDOMINAL OPERATION).
AN OPERATION TO REPAIR AN AREA OF WEAKNESS IN THE MUSCLES WHICH FORM THE LOWER FRONT OF THE STOMACH (IN THE GROIN REGION).
REMOVAL OF GALLBLADDER BY MEANS OF MINIMALLY INVASIVE “KEY-HOLE SURGERY”.
THE DOCTOR WILL TAKE A VERY SMALL PIECE OF YOUR LIVER (ABOUT 1/50,000TH OF YOUR LIVER) TO SEND FOR FURTHER TESTS.
THE SURGICAL REMOVAL OF PART OF THE LIVER.
A PEG IS A WAY OF INTRODUCING FOOD, FLUIDS AND MEDICINES DIRECTLY INTO THE STOMACH BY PASSING A THIN TUBE THROUGH THE SKIN AND INTO THE STOMACH.
AN ELLIPTICAL INCISION IS MADE REMOVING THE AFFECTED SKIN AND INVOLVED TISSUE OVER THE BUTTOCK CLEFT.
SURGERY TO REMOVE A PART OF YOUR SMALL BOWEL.
AN OPERATION TO REMOVE THE SPLEEN.
A STOMA IS AN OPENING ANYWHERE ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE BOWEL TO THE EXTERIOR SKIN SURFACE TO CREATE AN ARTIFICIAL ANUS.
REMOVING YOUR WHOLE PANCREAS, YOUR DUODENUM, A SMALL PORTION OF YOUR STOMACH, THE GALLBLADDER AND PART OF YOUR BILE DUCT, YOUR SPLEEN AND MANY OF THE SURROUNDING LYMPH NODES.
AN OPERATION TO REPAIR AN AREA OF WEAKNESS/SWELLING OF THE NAVEL (BELLY BUTTON).
THIS IS A MAJOR OPERATION TO REMOVE THE HEAD OF THE PANCREAS.