Blisstree » appendix

Posssible Urine Test For Appendicitis

Marijke Durning, RN — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:21:50 +0000

We don’t seem to hear about too many people these days who have appendicitis – I’m not sure why, but people still do get it and it can be very serious.

My daughter had appendicitis when she was 15 and her roomie at the hospital had it as well, except her appendix had burst before the surgeon got to it. When an appendix bursts, this can cause infection in the belly, which can be life threatening. Luckily, the girl was ok, but it must have been very frightening for her parents.

It’s not always easy to tell if a child has appendicitis, or anyone for that matter. The abdominal pain could be caused by other health issues and sometimes, surgeons operate because they’re sure that the child has appendicitis only to find out that was not the cause. So what to do if there’s no test other than using tests like computed tomography scans (CT scans)?

Soon, there could be a simple urine test. Researchers from Children’s Hospital in Boston, MA, found that urine from children with appendicitis had certain biomarkers and their research was recently published in the journal Annals of Emergency Medicine .

Source: Urine Test May Detect Childhood Appendicitis

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Post from: Blisstree

Posssible Urine Test For Appendicitis

What is this? Year of organ extraction through the vagina??

Marijke Durning, RN — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:02:58 +0000

Earlier today, I wrote about a procedure to extract an appendix through a woman’s vagina. So now, I find that a surgeon in France has removed someone’s kidney through her vagina: Hospital Clinic conducts the first kidney extraction through the vagina in Europe.

I understand the rationale and all that but – yikes! It’s giving me a real case of the creep-outs…. (how’s that for a medical term?).

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Post from: Blisstree

What is this? Year of organ extraction through the vagina??

Virtually scar-free and pain-free appendectomies?

Marijke Durning, RN — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:38:38 +0000

Do you have your appendix? I still do, but many of my peers don’t. Until four years ago, I didn’t know anyone who had to have an appendectomy, but in 2003, my then 14-year-old daughter developed appendicitis and had to have the traditional surgery that left her with a 2-inch scar because he was afraid that her appendix was not far from bursting.

As routine as an appendectomy is, it is a surgery with all the inherent risks of surgery, from the sedation (anesthetic) to pain, to the potential of infections. But, according to researchers, some of these issues may one day be a thing of the past.

Earlier this month, surgeons in California removed a man’s appendix through his *mouth*. The surgeons made a small incision in the bellybutton to insert a tiny camera to see inside. Then, going through the patient’s mouth, they were able to remove the appendix.

May seem like something straight out of science fiction – but if it works, think of the benefits: less pain, quicker healing, and minimal scarring.

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Post from: Blisstree

Virtually scar-free and pain-free appendectomies?