APPENDIX REMOVAL

>>17746077

Dangerous only if it does not get removed.

>>17746106
that's what I've been reading, thanks. I'm just so worried

All surgery carries some risk but the risk involved in an appendix removal is extremely low. The main thing about that operation is they have to make a pretty large cut in your abdomen to get in there, and that will take a few weeks to heal up. Just try to help your bro out as much as you can because he'll be laid out for a while and may be in a fair bit of pain.

and as this guy said>>17746106

I had mine taken out when I was 15. Nothing bad came of it, and I was high from morphine for 2 days.
He'll be grand.

>>17746077
It's a routine procedure. Mine was in a pretty bad shape, I basically got rushed to the ER in an ambulance. They removed it and I've had no issues since.

>>17746077
Doc here, on a general surgical firm

It's a pretty minor procedure, as far as invasive surgery goes. It's rare for recovery to not be straight forward. Higher risk if it's perf'd etc (but even then the body is pretty good at closing it off)

>>17746106
False. In 4/5 times it will recover with antibiotics alone. We just tend not to take the 1/5 risk very often

>>17746115
>The main thing about that operation is they have to make a pretty large cut in your abdomen to get in there
Also false. In the huge majority of cases, it's done laparascopically

Rarely is it converted to open

>>17746254
Doc, is it worth me to finish my bachelors in pharmacology then go into medicine?
I'm already 3 years into my degree, and I'm getting tired of schooling but it'd be my dream to be a GP. I would've went into medicine after secondary school, but my points weren't good enough. With the degree, I can get in no problem.

>>17746281
If that's your dream, then definitely

Grad med is condensed, so the work load can be high, and you'll often work into a large proportion of your summer vac etc, but I've not known any to ever drop out because of it

I wouldn't expect pharm experience to help much on the job though, if you're under the impression it will

I had mine removed at a pretty young age, it went like this:
>Mommy I can't sleep, my stomach hurts
>Go to bed anon
>Mommy I went to bed but my stomach still hurts
>Ok anon where on your stomach does it hurt?
>Like down on my side.. here.
>WE'RE GOING TO THE HOSPITAL ANON
>At the operating table a nurse comes and say "please count down from 10"
>It was a trap, I only got to 8 before passing out
Woke up the day after with a bunch of stitches

>>17746299
My pharmacology won't help whatsoever?
Would the biology and pharmacokinetics not help?

How many years did you spend studying?
Was it worth the mental breakdowns and tiredness?

I've a few friends who are doing their residency and they're absolutely shattered.

>>17746077
Doctor-fag here, I have performed appendicectomies via both an open and laparoscopic approach
Ask questions whilst I pre-read the thread

>>17746254
>1/5 risk of perforation
>Doesn't consider this dangerous
Son, you need to re-think your life views. Perf appendix is sufficiently serious that doctors have been known to take their own appendices out rather than chance it.

Several decades ago, there was some disagreement between the best approach for appendicitis. Many surgeons would treat with antibiotics and perform an interval appendicectomy in 6 weeks. This is very similar to how cholecystitis was treated. The difference between the two is that the appendix is an end-organ, meaning that it is at the very end of a blood supply chain. Any impediment to the blood supply, be it due to blockage, or local inflammation can allow the tip to die, become gangrenous and fall open (perforate). This allows gut bacteria and sometimes out-and-out shit to spill into your abdomen. Hence, Rx with antibiotics alone has a much higher failure rate than for comparable infections.

>>17746329
Docfag2 here. I disagree with other doctor-fag. I think it very much depends on your speciality but there is always a role for having more knowledge, and pharmacology is particularly relevant.

Sometimes, it's simple things that make you appreciate a deeper understanding of medications. For example, I recently treated both of a man's cluster headaches and atrial fibrillation with verapamil.

>>17746329
Hardly. It's all prescribing to protocol unfortunately
Sure it'll help a bit during your studies, but it won't make it easy-mode

I did six years at Cambridge. Never had a mental breakdown and I love the work. Indeed, when I'm not at work, I'm rather bored and counting down the hours until I'm back in. Did 92 hours last week... You've got to love it, or you'll end up depressed pretty quickly

>>17746359
Thank you for taking the time to write that out and teach me about things I see daily
I was merely stating the odds

Cholecystitis is occasionally still treated that way too. In my hospital we'll do a hot chole. if it's less than a week. Otherwise elective in 6/52

>>17746364
>For example, I recently treated both of a man's cluster headaches and atrial fibrillation with verapamil.
I really don't think you need an advanced level of pharm, that the other anon has, to hit to problems with one drug

>>17746391
two*

Wouldn't usually correct a typo, but if we're going to be professionals here...

>>17746391
You would be surprised what various concoctions were being devised. But this is an example. The list of similar situations are numerous

>Patient with malignant hypertension and hyperreninaemia
>Too unwell for further investigations at that point
>Medical team/ITU unable to achieve adequate BP control with standard therapies
>Sort it with spironolactone

>Patient with SVT
>Want to list for ablation
>Nobody notices the patient is taking Sudafed

>Patient with long-term catheter
>Postural hypotension
>Still on alpha-blockers

>Recurrent hypomagnesaemia
>Still on PPI

Even relatively simple things can be easy to overlook. I am not here to judge, but a strong background in pharmacology will help avoid many pitfalls.

>>17746395
I wasn't about to hold that against you, it is clear what you meant and to deride your point on the basis of a typo would be juvenile and unhelpful

I had my appendix removed when I was about to enter the first grade. My entire summer, I was bed ridden. The only reason I almost died was because everyone wanted to wait to see if some sky god would save me. Your brother will be fine, do not worry. The procedure actually isn't all that bad. I still remember when I first woke up from my surgery. I legit had no idea who I was for awhile. Your brother will probably have an easier time than me.