Appendicitis information

 Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. The appendix is located in the lower right portion of the abdomen. The appendix is a small pouch connected to your large intestine.

 It is believed that appendicitis begins when the opening from the appendix into the cecum becomes blocked. The blockage may be due to a build-up of thick mucus within the appendix or from feces that enters the appendix from the cecum. The main symptom of appendicitis is pain that typically begins around your navel and then shifts to your lower right abdomen. The pain of appendicitis usually increases over a period of six to 12 hours, and eventually may become very severe. Sometimes the pain becomes so crucial it can be very hard to walk, or even to just stand straight. Symptoms of acute appendicitis can be classified into two types, typical and atypical.

 The typical pain is usually associated with loss of appetite and fever. Atypical symptoms may include pain beginning and staying in the right iliac fossa, (located below)

diarrhea and is more prolonged. In children who are 2 years old or younger, the most common symptoms of appendicitis are vomiting. The cause of appendicitis relates to blockage of the inside of the appendix, known as the lumen. The blockage leads to increased pressure, impaired blood flow, and inflammation. 

Traumatic injury to the abdomen may lead to appendicitis in a small number of people. Genetics may be a factor in others. The most serious complication of appendicitis is rupture. Infants, young children, and older adults are at highest risk. A ruptured appendix can lead to peritonitis and abscess. Peritonitis is a dangerous infection that happens when bacteria and other contents of the torn appendix leak into the abdomen.

 Appendicitis is considered a medical emergency. Appendicitis is treated by removing the inflamed appendix through an appendectomy. Antibiotics given intravenously such as cefuroxime and metronidazole may be administered early to help kill bacteria, in some cases ciprofloxacin may be administrated to bring down swelling. Avoid eating or drinking as this may complicate or delay surgery. If you are thirsty, you may rinse your mouth with water, if you're at a hospital you will have an I.V take care of your hydration. Do not take (or give your child) laxatives, antibiotics, or pain medications because they may cause delay in diagnosis and risk rupture of the appendix or mask the symptoms. Usually after the surgery is completed you will be given laxatives to help you empty out your intestines. Preoperative antibiotics have demonstrated efficacy in decreasing postoperative wound infection.
Broad-spectrum gram-negative and anaerobic coverage is indicated. Preoperative antibiotics should be given in conjunction with the surgical consultant.

Quick facts:

1. Appendicitis is more common in woman then men. 

2. Appendicitis is more common in people who have high fiber diets. 

3. Appendicitis can lead to death and seizures, if you're having abdominal pain it's best to get checked out.

A look at mild TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)

A person with mild traumatic brain injury has had a traumatically induced physiological disruption of brain function, which can be determined by, but not limited to, one of the following:

1. any period of loss of consciousness;
2. any loss of memory for events immediately before or after the accident;
3. any alteration in mental state at the time of the accident (eg, feeling dazed, disoriented or confused); and
4. focal neurological deficit(s) that may or may not be transient;

 but where the severity of the injury does not exceed the following:

• posttraumatic amnesia (PTA) not greater than 24 hours.
• after 30 minutes, an initial Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 13-15; and
• loss of consciousness of approximately 30 minutes or less;

This definition includes: 1) the head being struck, 

 2) the head striking an object, and

3) the brain undergoing an acceleration/deceleration movement, like whiplash, without direct external trauma to the head.

It excludes stroke, anoxia, tumor, encephalitis, etc. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalogram, or routine neurological evaluations are normal. Due to the lack of medical emergency, or the realities of certain medical systems, some patients may not have the above factors medically documented in the acute stage. In such cases, it is more than appropriate to consider symptomatology that, when linked to a traumatic head injury, can suggest the existence of a mild traumatic brain injury.

 The criteria above defines the event of a mild traumatic brain injury. The symptoms of brain injury may or may not persist, for varying lengths of time, after such a neurological event. It should be known that patients with mild traumatic brain injury can, and may, exhibit persistent emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and physical symptoms, alone or sometimes in a combination, which can produce a functional disability. These symptoms generally fall into one the following categories, and are additional evidence that a mild traumatic brain injury has occurred:

1. physical symptoms of brain injury (e.g., nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, blurred vision, sleep disturbance, quickness to fatigue, lethargy, or other sensory loss) that cannot be accounted for by peripheral injury or other causes;
2. cognitive deficits (e.g., involving attention, concentration, perception, memory, speech/language, or executive functions) that cannot be completely accounted for by emotional state or other causes; and
3. behavioral change(s) and/or alterations in degree of emotional responsivity (e.g., irritability, quickness to anger, disinhibition, or emotional lability) that cannot be accounted for by a psychological reaction to physical or emotional stress or other causes.

 It's important to note that some patients may not admit, or even be aware of, the extent of their symptoms until they attempt to return to their normal functioning. In such cases, the evidence for someone who may be suffering from a mild traumatic brain injury must be reconstructed. Mild traumatic brain injury may also be overlooked in the face of more dramatic physical injury (e.g., orthopedic or spinal cord injury). The constellation of symptoms has previously been referred to as minor head injury, post-concussive syndrome, traumatic head syndrome, traumatic Delphinia, post-brain injury syndrome and post-traumatic syndrome.

 If you've recently had a head, or neck, injury it's always good to get checked out. If you think that you, or someone you may know, is suffering from TBI you should consider talking to a medical expert immediately, especially if you've recently been in an accident, whether it be a car accident, work accident, etc. Always get checked out and make sure you're healthy.

If I die and I don't have a will, what happens?

Dying without a will is called "intestate", all your property, and/or assets, will be distributed to your heirs according to a formula fixed by law. Your property does not go to the State, or province, you live in unless there are no heirs at law, which is usually unlikely. In other words, if you haven't made a will, the inheritance statute decides who gets your property, and/or assets. The inheritance statute contains a rigid formula and makes no exception for those in unusual need.

When there is no will, the court appoints a personal representative, whom you may, or may not, have known, to manage your estate. If you had a will, the cost of probating your estate may be greater, and the administration of your estate may be subject to greater court supervision.