Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Appendicitis
The appendix is a small, tube-like organ attached to the first part of the large intestine. It is located in the lower right part of the abdomen. It has no known function. A blockage inside of the appendix causes appendicitis. The blockage leads to increased pressure, problems with blood flow, and inflammation. If the blockage is not treated, the appendix can burst and spread infection into the abdomen. This causes a condition called peritonitis.
The main symptom is pain in the abdomen, often on the right side. It is usually sudden and gets worse over time. Other symptoms may include:
- Swelling in the abdomen
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Inability to pass gas
- Low fever
Not everyone with appendicitis has all these symptoms.
Appendicitis is a medical emergency. Treatment almost always involves removing the appendix. Anyone can get appendicitis, but it is more common among people 10 to 30 years old.
It sits within Digestive System.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Appendicitis
423 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Feasibility and Safety of a Pediatric ERAS Protocol for Laparoscopic AppendectomyAhmet Burak Doğan, MD
- Laparoscopic Appendectomy: Outcomes of 10 mmHg Versus 15 mmHg Intra-abdominal PressureAnkara Etlik City Hospital
- The Impact of a Diagnostic Strategy for Acute Appendicitis in Children With Acute Abdominal Pain in Primary CareUniversity Medical Center Groningen
- Primary Versus Delayed Wound Closure in Complicated Appendectomy (The HIEDI-Yemen Trial)Sana'a University
- Effect of Endotracheal Tube Cuff Pressure Management on Postoperative Sore Throat in Pediatric Laparoscopic AppendectomyAnkara Etlik City Hospital
- Oral Lactulose for Gastrointestinal Recovery After Complex AppendectomyNanchong Central Hospital
Research already completed
- Low vs Medium Pressure PneumoperitoneumUniversity Children's Hospital, Zurich
- Evaluating the Outcome of Surgical Clip Versus Ligatures in Securing Base of Appendix in Laparoscopic Appendicectomy.Universiti Sains Malaysia
- Piperacillin/Tazobactam Versus ceftriAxone and Metronidazole for Children With Perforated Appendicitis (ALPACA)McMaster Children's Hospital
- Restricted or Liberal Antibiotics After Appendectomy - Denver HealthDenver Health and Hospital Authority
- TRIAD Appendicitis Decision-making SurveysUniversity of Washington
- Mapping the Human Appendix Using Single Cell SequencingBispebjerg Hospital
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- AppendicitisMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- AppendicitisNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Diagnosis and Tests
- Abdominal and Pelvic CTRadiological Society of North America
- Abdominal exploration - seriesMedical Encyclopedia
- Abdominal Pain (Stomach Pain), Short-TermAmerican Academy of Family Physicians
- Abdominal UltrasoundRadiological Society of North America
- Appendicitis TestsNational Library of Medicine
Treatments and Therapies
- Appendectomy - seriesMedical Encyclopedia
- Treating Appendicitis: Comparing Surgery with Antibiotic TreatmentNemours Foundation
Statistics and Research
- Appendix Pain: Preventing Appendicitis ComplicationsNational Institutes of Health
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: AppendicitisNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Appendicitis. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Appendicitis, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.