The appendix belongs to the human organ system. Why do you need an appendix? what is appendicitis? To remove or not to remove the appendix

Appendicitis is a dangerous disease that occurs due to inflammation of the caecum of the intestine. Since there is no visible benefit from it, patients often have the question of what an appendix is and why a person needs it.

Initially, beneficial bacteria accumulated in the appendix, helping to digest plant foods, which formed the basis of the diet of primitive man. Over time, animal food became more readily available and the appendage became vestigial.

Anatomy provides for the following location of the appendix in the abdominal cavity:

external, in the right channel. Perhaps the development of chronic appendicitis;
left-sided, in the wall of the caecum;
internal, descending, among the intestinal loops. The inflammatory process is accompanied by adhesions and peritonitis.

At the beginning of the last century, doctors faced the question of why a person needs an appendix. According to the results of the research, it was decided, if possible, to remove the unnecessary process. However, over time, it turned out that people with a preserved organ are better able to tolerate many diseases and have more stable digestion.

Functions of the appendix in the human body:

barrier. Bacteria in the intestines improve digestive processes and protect a person from dangerous ailments. In the appendix, a kind of supply of beneficial microorganisms is formed, which help to quickly restore digestion, preventing dysbacteriosis from developing;
protective. Like the tonsils in the larynx, the appendix protects the small intestine from harmful bacteria from entering the colon. However, unlike adenoids, this process becomes inflamed once in a lifetime;
immune function of the appendix. A lot of lymphoid tissue is hidden under the mucous membrane, which forms the human immunity.

If the appendix is preserved, the body copes with diseases and physical stress more easily, so this is by no means a rudiment, but a necessary organ.

Where is

It depends on the location of the appendix in the body where appendicitis will hurt. Most often, the appendix is located slightly below the ileum. Blind end it is located down. With this arrangement, the process is located in the right side of the abdominal cavity.

The appendix in women is often located in the pelvic region, which makes diagnosis somewhat difficult. In this case, abdominal pain is accompanied by frequent urge to defecate. If the blind process is located upward, such a dislocation is called subhepatic, and with inflammation, the symptoms are similar to an attack of cholecystitis.

If the structure provides for the location of the appendix behind the stomach, it is impossible to say for sure whether it will hurt on the right or on the left with inflammation. In this case, the first symptoms include vomiting, nausea, and epigastric pain.

Why is it inflamed

Science has not fully understood the causes of acute appendicitis. However, it is generally accepted that the weakening of protective functions and the penetration of pathogenic bacteria into the cavity occurs due to the following factors:

circulatory disorders. When a thrombus occurs in the artery supplying the process, its protective properties decrease;
wrong diet. Stagnation of feces can lead to blockage of the lumen;
allergy. Since the basis of the appendix is lymphoid tissue, its excessive function leads to the development of allergic reactions;
constipation. Due to the slow movement of feces, its excess can enter the appendix.

Initially, the mucous membrane becomes inflamed, then the disease moves deep into the walls. There are 4 forms of appendicitis:

Perforated. Develops with the destruction of the wall. The contents enter the abdominal cavity, causing peritonitis.
Gangrenous. It develops within 3 days as a result of the death of the appendix and inflammation of adjacent tissues.
catarrhal. The process affects only the mucous membrane, gradually turning into edema. Lasts about 6 hours from the onset of the first symptoms.
Phlegmonous. Inflammation passes into the thickness of the walls, lasts up to a day. The process completely swells, the lumen is filled with pus.

What kind of pain is worth paying attention to

When the first signs of exacerbation appear, there is no time to think about why a person needs an appendix:

the patient feels a constant dull pain in the upper part of the abdominal cavity;
over time, discomfort moves down the abdomen;
the most painful point is anatomically located above the appendix, located between the navel and the ilium;
a person limps, because of the increased pain syndrome, it is difficult for him to walk, bend over or just cough;
vomiting can be single, the temperature is low.

If the patient with appendicitis lies on his back, there is difficulty in lifting and straightening the right leg, the patient's abdomen is very tense. With a non-standard location of the appendix, the disease can be disguised as poisoning. In such cases, additional diagnostics are needed: a blood test, ultrasound.

In the chronic form, the pain is periodic, similar to an ulcer, pyelonephritis or cholecystitis. Peritonitis is a common occurrence in this case; laparoscopy, ultrasound or tomography helps to diagnose acute appendicitis.

During an attack, you should not take antacids, laxatives and painkillers, as this can worsen the general condition. Call an ambulance if you experience the following symptoms:

pain in the umbilical region, passing into the right side of the abdomen;
hard, swollen abdomen, when pressed on the right, the pain intensifies;
it hurts to stand, move, decrease in pain in the fetal position.

Despite the functions performed, the process will have to be removed. There is no medical treatment, and no pill can replace a scalpel. There is no need to delay the visit to the doctor, this is fraught with serious consequences.

Video "Why do we need an appendix"

From this video you will learn about what appendicitis is and why it is needed.

The appendix is responsible for storing beneficial intestinal microflora and performs a protective function for the intestines, similar to that performed by the palatine tonsils for the pharynx and lungs.

STRUCTURE

The anatomy of the human appendix is distinguished by a number of features: variability in size and location, the presence of a large number of lymphoid formations.

The caecum, together with the appendix extending from its posterior inner surface, is located in the majority in the right iliac region. The location of the appendix relative to the caecum is highly variable.

There are such options:

descending - goes from the caecum to the pelvic cavity, adjacent there to the bladder, uterus with appendages. The most common location, gives a typical clinic for appendicitis;
if the process passes behind the caecum, rises up to the liver - this is an ascending position;
medial, or internal - is located among the loops of the intestine, which, with purulent processes, is fraught with the development of peritonitis and the formation of adhesions;
lateral, or external - adjacent to the side wall of the abdomen; with this variant, the inflammatory process often becomes chronic;
anterior - being near the anterior abdominal wall;
intramural (intraorganic) - the location of the process in the thickness of the caecum is characteristic;
retroperitoneal (retroperitoneal) - is less common than others, while the process with the adjacent part of the intestine is not covered by the peritoneum, they are located in the retroperitoneal tissue, which complicates the diagnosis and method of surgical intervention.

The appendix has a size: an average length of 7-8 cm, there are variants of 2-3 cm and 20-22 cm, the diameter of the lumen of a healthy process is up to 1 cm (the average value is 0.4-0.6 cm).

At the point of entry of the appendix into the cavity of the caecum, a narrowing with a fold-valve from the mucous membrane, the so-called Gerlach valve, is formed, which protects the cavity of the appendix from the entry of intestinal contents.

The structure of the wall of the appendix differs little from other parts of the intestine.

Consists of the following skins:

serous (peritoneum);
muscular (formed by circular and longitudinal, intertwining with each other without clear boundaries, fibers);
submucosal - the thickest of the membranes, consists of connective tissue rich in lymphoid cells, the vessels of the lymphatic and circulatory systems also pass there;
mucosa - lined with a cylindrical epithelium and contains numerous lymphatic follicles, often they merge and form plaques. The presence of large accumulations of lymphoid tissue is a structural feature of the appendix.

FUNCTIONS

The appendix is an organ whose functions are still being studied. In mammals, primarily herbivores, it has a large length and performs the functions of accumulating and storing food supplies. In relation to a person, it was previously believed that the appendix is a process that does not play any role in the body, a useless rudiment. But experiments with the removal of the process in infants showed that such children began to lag behind in physical and mental development, they poorly absorbed mother's milk.

The main function of the appendix in humans is immune, or protective: due to the accumulation of lymphoid tissue, the appendix takes the “hit” in various diseases and infections of the gastrointestinal tract and promotes a speedy recovery, restoration of the intestinal microflora. The latter is also facilitated by the fact that the process is a reservoir of beneficial bacteria, which, if necessary, enter the intestines. It has been proven that the natural intestinal microflora after some diseases, the use of antibiotics recovers faster in people with a preserved process.

In addition to these functions, there are several more secondary ones: secretory, neurohumoral, digestive - the production of certain enzymes (lipase, amylase) and hormones (they take part in the process of peristalsis and the work of intestinal sphincters).

DISEASES

These are mainly inflammatory diseases - acute and chronic appendicitis, as well as tumors of the appendix.

Clinical manifestations are very dependent on the location of the appendix, so they can mimic a number of diseases of other internal organs (liver, gallbladder, bladder, intestines, ovaries).

Acute appendicitis

The most common surgical emergency. Mostly young people are ill, the female sex suffers a little more often.

The cause of the inflammatory process of the appendix is the development of an infectious process with the introduction of intestinal bacteria into its wall. There is no specific bacterial pathogen that leads to appendicitis. The development of infection is facilitated by stagnation of the contents of the process, irritation with fecal stones and foreign bodies that have fallen into it, nutritional errors (“fast food”, seeds). But the main reason is neuro-regulatory dysfunction, leading to local deterioration of blood circulation and trophism (nutrition) of the appendix.

Signs of the development of acute appendicitis:

Appendicitis usually begins with pain of indistinct localization, more often in the upper abdomen, the navel.
Nausea appears, sometimes vomiting, loss of appetite, stool retention or diarrhea, body temperature gradually rises, dry mouth appears, and general malaise increases. Such general manifestations of intoxication can occur within 2-3 hours, in some cases longer.
Sometimes the condition temporarily stabilizes, the pain subsides (imaginary well-being) - in such situations, patients often refuse to continue their stay in a medical institution.
In the future, the pain intensifies, becomes sharp, jerking, shifts to the lower abdomen, the accent of pain is the right iliac region.
Some relief, a decrease in the intensity of pain brings the patient in a certain position (for example, on the back or on the right side). The abdominal wall is tense when touched, symptoms of peritoneal irritation appear (determined by special tests).

Treatment - only surgical (removal of the inflamed appendix). With untimely surgical intervention, complications may develop: gangrene (purulent fusion) of the process and the adjacent part of the large intestine, perforation-perforation, peritonitis.

Chronic appendicitis

Occurs rarely. Usually this is a consequence of acute inflammation of the appendix, which was not operated on in time, but did not end with complications that were terrible for the body (peritonitis). Adhesions of the peritoneum, layers of fibrous tissue are formed around the inflamed process, the entire wall of the process is involved in cicatricial changes, a capsule shell with a purulent cavity inside is formed - a cyst.

It is manifested by pain, sometimes constant, sometimes paroxysmal (provoked by eating, physical activity). When a cyst breaks through and its contents enter the abdominal cavity, a picture of peritonitis develops.

Which doctors to contact:

The surgeon treats appendicitis and other diseases of the appendix.

In the event of abdominal pain, it is required, first of all, to exclude acute appendicitis, which requires urgent surgical intervention. To clarify the diagnosis, a gynecologist, urologist, gastroenterologist, infectious disease specialist may be involved.

If appendicitis is suspected, it is forbidden to warm the abdomen, take medications (painkillers, laxatives, activated charcoal), eat and drink. You should immediately seek emergency medical attention to avoid serious complications.

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appendix (vermiform appendix)- this is a hollow tube about 8-15 cm long and about 1 cm in diameter, extending from the lower end of the caecum and closed on the other side. In other words, it is a "blind" tube that leads nowhere. The appendix is located at the beginning of the large intestine, in the lower part of the abdominal cavity, on the right.

The structure of the human colon

Many rodents, herbivores, some predators, monkeys and humans have a vermiform appendix.

In humans, the vermiform appendix was until recently considered a useless organ. In the 30s of the XX century, they even introduced the practice of removing the appendix to all children. And it turned out that they did it completely in vain. Children who had their appendix removed for no reason lagged behind their peers in physical and mental development. In general, people with "accidentally" removed appendixes are more likely than others to suffer from a variety of diseases. Why this happens, they failed to find out then.

Today it is known that in the human body the appendix does not take part in the process of digestion, although it is located in the intestine. The bacteria that live in it maintain a healthy microflora in the intestines. The appendix is, as it were, an incubator for such bacteria, a "safe home" for them.

In the wall of the appendix there are lymphoid accumulations, the same as in the tonsils in the throat. Therefore, it is often called "intestinal tonsil". Cells that perform important immune functions work in lymphoid accumulations. That is, the appendix takes an active part in all the protective reactions of the body.

This process reacts especially quickly to inflammatory disorders in the caecum and the entire gastrointestinal tract. But it is precisely this feature that makes the appendix a vulnerable point. If the lymphoid tissue has to work often and intensively, the walls of the appendix swell, the contents in it linger and an inflammatory process develops - appendicitis. First, suppuration of the mucosa itself occurs, and then all layers of the process wall. If appendicitis develops, then the appendix must be removed surgically. Delay in the operation threatens with serious complications and even death.

It used to be believed that the appendix becomes inflamed due to the ingestion of hard indigestible particles, for example, seed husks, etc., into it. It's a delusion! The opening of the appendix is too small to retain small food particles - only 1-2 mm.

Modern experts believe that the cause of acute appendicitis is the food addiction of a modern person, as well as allergies. Oddly enough, but earlier appendicitis was a rarity - it is generally a relatively "young" disease.

Friends, today I want to answer one question sent to me by mail. The person was interested in why the appendix is needed and why it is not removed before it becomes inflamed. Considering that at one time there was a version that it was a rudiment, that is, an offshoot of the caecum that was unnecessary for the body.

I decided to put this issue in a separate publication, continuing the topic of the gastrointestinal tract. So, what is the appendix for, is it a useless or still important human organ?

What is appendicitis

Appendicitis, or inflammation of the appendix, the vermiform appendix of the caecum, is a rather serious problem and threatens to rupture if delayed with surgery. The rupture will entail peritonitis - infection of the abdominal cavity, with the subsequent death of the patient, therefore, they are not joking with appendicitis.

For reference, I will say that until the beginning of the last century, operations to remove an inflamed appendix were not performed, therefore, if a person had appendicitis, this meant inevitable death from peritonitis. So people lived all the years, if they are destined to die from a rupture of the appendix, then no one will help. But now an appendectomy is the removal of an inflamed appendix, a fairly routine operation.

But then it became even more interesting, after the physiology and anatomy of the digestive system were studied in the most complete way, proposals began to arise in the medical environment about the advisability of the preventive removal of the appendix, so to speak, for prevention, so that it would not become inflamed in the future.

Functions of the appendix

At some point, they began to believe that this organ no longer performs any functions, that it remained only as a rudiment. Fortunately, it did not come to wholesale removal, but in some countries there were attempts. Fortunately, they changed their minds in time, as later the researchers found out that this small process of the caecum is extremely important for strong immunity.

According to the observations of doctors, the protective forces in patients who underwent the procedure for removing the appendix were much weaker, and the cases of detecting dysbacteriosis were much higher. It was also found by doctors that the microflora in people with a remote appendix recovers much more slowly after antibiotic therapy than in patients with an existing appendix.

I am now talking about such subtleties precisely because many of you ask me questions about the intestines. According to his work, according to dysbacteriosis, and this is one of the significant reasons for the disorder of the system.

Also note that the appendix is involved in maintaining smooth muscle tone, improves peristalsis, and therefore affects the consistency of the stool, reducing the risk of constipation and sluggish bowel.

Another important mission of the appendix is to be a depot for the symbiotic microflora of our intestines. It is from this farm that the necessary bacteria are resettled in the event of a significant death of the population as a result of taking antibiotics, for example. Or prolonged dysbacteriosis with diarrhea.

In the appendix, our body carefully grows bifidobacteria that multiply on fiber that enters the caecum and settles in it. Optimally - vegetable fibers, which is why it is recommended to introduce some part of raw vegetables in salads into your diet. You don’t need much, a bowl at dinner is enough, otherwise, instead of benefit, we will get bloating and strong motility in the intestines.

Also, do not forget that there is a large accumulation of lymphoid tissue in the appendix, which ensures the outflow of the so-called dirty lymph, or sewage of our body. After all, all cells are alive and the products of their vital activity are washed into the intestines with lymph.

Why does the appendix get inflamed

Summing up the above, I note that it is not necessary to remove the appendix for prevention, and no one will simply remove it for you. The operation is indicated only in case of inflammation - appendicitis. But about how to recognize it in time, as well as what kind of assistance should be provided to the patient upon the arrival of an ambulance, I will tell you in the near future.

Experiencing pain in the lower right corner of the abdomen, we often think: what if the appendix? Many people know what appendicitis is, therefore, when pain appears in the area of \u200b\u200bits location, people immediately begin to wind themselves up and make false diagnoses. For the most part, our fears are not confirmed, such pain may be an echo of a simple indigestion. It could also be a sign of a stomach infection. But it could also be appendicitis. Therefore, it is important to know its main symptoms and what causes them. But let's go in order.

Appendix: what is it?

This is the name of the appendix of the rectum. Not all mammals have such a formation; cats, for example, do not have it, but it is present in the human body, monkeys and rabbits. It performs protective functions, is part of the immune system, in particular, restores the intestinal microflora.

The appendix is a kind of "nursery" for beneficial bacteria involved in digestion. Its role for the intestines is similar to that of the tonsils for the respiratory system. But for people who have survived an appendectomy, in other words, the removal of the appendix, it is more difficult to restore the microflora after diseases with infections than for those who have this organ.

Peritonitis

As you probably know, the described disease can be fatal. If you start an inflamed process, then it can burst from the pus that overflows it. And all the contents will enter the abdominal cavity, where irreversible inflammation - peritonitis - can begin. Sometimes, unfortunately, medical errors are made, and a patient with high fever and acute pain in the abdomen is placed in the infectious diseases department, losing precious time to establish the true cause of the pain. Therefore, it is better to describe to the doctor all the symptoms, even if they are not too significant, in your opinion. It would be useful to say directly that you suspect you have appendicitis.

note

You may not show the main symptoms, but even a high fever, vomiting, or constipation can already be a sign of appendicitis. Sometimes, for example, with appendicitis, there is no high temperature at all, only in babies this indicator can rise high with any inflammatory process. You may also experience completely non-standard symptoms, such as: “seizes” the lower back, a painful sensation in the genitourinary organs. This is due to the fact that the appendix is located near these areas of the body, and pain can radiate to them.

In infants, pregnant women, the elderly, organ transplant patients, obesity, diabetes, cancer, HIV infection, it is very difficult to determine this disease! Even ordinary fatigue can be a sign in these individuals. In older people, appendicitis can be a reason for exacerbating chronic pathologies.

Conclusion

We have analyzed what are the symptoms of a disease such as appendicitis. How to check the presence of this pathology in men, women and children, you now know. The most important thing that we wanted to convey with this article is that do not ignore any malfunctions in your body, because they can be a signal of a serious illness.