Once the diagnosis of appendicitis is confirmed, it is important to surgically remove the appendix

Removal of the appendix prevents it from rupturing and spilling infected fluid in the the rest of the abdomen.

Removal of the appendix usually occurs laparoscopically. This means that there will be only a few incisions made in the abdomen to remove the appendix, as opposed to surgically opening up the abdominal cavity.

Sometimes appendixes can be ruptured before removal, in which case it is important for your child to receive antibiotic therapy to prevent the infection from spreading and causing sepsis - a potentially life-threatening complication.

Sometimes the course of antibiotic therapy can keep your child in the hospital for several days longer if their appendix ruptured than if not.

Before the surgery, your nurse will make sure your child is prepped and ready to go into the operating room.

• This includes and hospital policy pre-surgical tasks, such as cleaning the skin with antimicrobials, changing clothes, sheets, prophylactic antibiotics therapy, etc.

Your nurse will insert an IV into your child.

Your nurse will hang IV fluids to prevent your child from becoming dehydrated

Typically, your child will be required to stop eating or drinking overnight to prepare for receiving general anesthesia during the surgery. Don't worry though, because the IV fluids will keep your child hydrated overnight.

There are a variety of medications your child can receive for pain management

Usually, pain managenent for appendicitis is well-controlled by Tylenol & Ibuprofen. Sometimes narcotics like morphine can be given if the pain is more severe.

Depending on the severity of appendicitis, the goal is to be able to go home with Tylenol and Ibuprofen, which can be given every three hours on an alternating basis.

There are several goals after surgery for your child to accomplish before potential discharge

Your child will usually need to be able to walk on their own, eat and drink without becoming nauseous or vomiting, use the restroom without major pain, and have good pain control with non-narcotic medication.

Every kid is different. Some might be bouncing off the walls after surgery with minimal pain. Some others may need higher potency pain medication the first few hours after the surgery.

Your nurse will usually advise your child to walk, use the restroom, and eat within a few hours of returning from surgery.

Your nurse will also assess your child's incisions to make sure there is no excess drainage, as well as your child's vital signs to make sure there are no fevers or other complications from surgery - which can manifest in vital signs (high/low blood pressures).

Your nurse will routinely perform a pain assessment on your child to make sure they are being adequately treated for their pain.

Sometimes patients can complain about pain in their abdomen, chest, and even their shoulder/arms after a laparoscopic appendectomy. This is all normal because the operating team may sometimes pump air in the the abdominal area. This air can travel up the body and be felt as high up as the shoulders.

The best way to manage this side effect is to move, walk, and hydrate! Doing these things will help get rid of the air and lessen the discomfort

Post operative nausea can be common due to the effects of anesthesia. This can be managed with antiemetics (Zofran) and by making good food choices (avoiding foods high in fats, grease, and sugars).

Uncomplicated appendectomies that are well-controlled by Tylenol and Ibuprofen have good outcomes. Many times, these patients can go home the same day or next day as long as the post-op goals are accomplished.

Home care will include gentle cleansing of the operative incisions as directed by the surgical team, pain management with Tylenol & Ibuprofen, and only light activity for the first week.

The pain may get worse until post-op day 2. This is normal

If your child has a fever > 100.8f, has severe pain that does not respond to pain medicine, or has a lot of drainage (or white drainage) coming from their incision sites, see a pediatrician as soon as possible. These symptoms can sometimes indicate an infection, which will halt the healing process and potentially cause new issues until it is treated with antibiotic therapy.