Editing Appendicitis (section)

====Open appendectomy====
For over a century, laparotomy (open appendectomy) was the standard treatment for acute appendicitis.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Berry J, Malt RA | title = Appendicitis near its centenary | journal = Annals of Surgery | volume = 200 | issue = 5 | pages = 567–575 | date = November 1984 | pmid = 6385879 | pmc = 1250537 | doi = 10.1097/00000658-198411000-00002 }}</ref> This procedure consists of the removal of the infected appendix through a single large incision in the lower right area of the abdomen.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/appendicitis/ |title=Appendicitis |work=National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases |publisher=U.S. Department of Health and Human Services |access-date=2010-02-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100201095103/http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/appendicitis/ |archive-date=2010-02-01 }}</ref> The incision in a laparotomy is usually {{convert|2|to|3|in}} long.

During an open appendectomy, the person with suspected appendicitis is placed under general [[anesthesia]] to keep the muscles completely relaxed and to keep the person unconscious. The incision is two to three inches (76&nbsp;mm) long, and it is made in the right lower abdomen, several inches above the [[hip bone]]. Once the incision opens the abdomen cavity, and the appendix is identified, the [[surgeon]] removes the infected tissue and cuts the appendix from the surrounding tissue. After careful and close inspection of the infected area, and ensuring there are no signs that surrounding tissues are damaged or infected. In case of complicated appendicitis managed by an emergency open appendectomy, abdominal drainage (a temporary tube from the abdomen to the outside to avoid abscess formation) may be inserted, but this may increase the hospital stay.<ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Li Z, Li Z, Zhao L, Cheng Y, Cheng N, Deng Y|date=August 2021|title=Abdominal drainage to prevent intra-peritoneal abscess after appendectomy for complicated appendicitis|journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews|volume=2021|issue=8|pages=CD010168|doi=10.1002/14651858.CD010168.pub4|pmid=34402522|pmc=8407456}}</ref>{{Update inline|reason=Updated version https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34402522|date = October 2021}} The surgeon will start closing the incision. This means sewing the muscles and using [[surgical staple]]s or [[surgical suture|stitches]] to close the skin up. To prevent infections, the incision is covered with a [[Dressing (medical)|sterile bandage]] or surgical adhesive.