There are four stages of appendicitis, which describe its severity and whether it has caused any complications: simple, supportive, gangrenous, and perforated. These range from mild inflammation ...

A ruptured appendix is a life-threatening condition, but appendicitis is very treatable, and surgery is no longer the only option. Patients are now increasingly being offered a trial of antibiotics ...

It was the first day of spring break in 1992 in Phoenix, Ariz. and 12-year-old Heather Smith was excited for her family's upcoming ski trip. But before Smith and her family had even packed their snow ...

For a first-year surgical resident, the appendix (specifically, it’s removal) represents a prized surgical operation. For trained surgeons, the appendectomy is usually an urgent affair that requires ...

Gwen Deely's story is an example of how not to deal with a health crisis when traveling abroad. She realizes she's lucky to be alive. Deely, 66, who lives in Manhattan, was on an overnight flight from ...

Nobody's really sure why we humans have an appendix, and some biology textbooks still refer to the pinkie-size organ, located near the juncture of the large and small intestine, as a "vestigial organ.

Appendix cancer, a rare condition originating in the appendix, is showing a rise in reported cases. While often discovered incidentally, improved diagnostics and potential lifestyle factors contribute ...

The appendix has long been dismissed as an organ that has outlived its usefulness in human evolution. But new research suggests it may play an active — and detrimental — role in the development of ...

Appendiceal cancer is a rare cancer without standardized screening guidelines, risk factors or tumor classifications - a situation that often results in late diagnosis and poor prognosis. Up to 1 of ...