Appendicitis Pathochart

Appendicitis, the inflammation and obstruction of the appendix, is a medical emergency requiring prompt treatment, typically an appendectomy. Causes include obstruction from fecal material, infection, foreign bodies, or cancer. Symptoms include abdominal pain (initially periumbilical, then migrating to the right lower quadrant), nausea, chills, anorexia, diarrhea or constipation, fever, diaphoresis, vomiting, and rebound tenderness at McBurney’s Point. Elevated white blood cell count is a common lab finding. Nursing care includes placing the patient in a semi-Fowler’s position to reduce abdominal stress, monitoring vital signs and labs for indications of illness progression, preparing for surgery, providing post-op care, managing pain, and encouraging abdominal splinting for protection and pain relief post-surgery​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​. This nursing cheatsheet will help you learn about the comprehensive management of Appendicitis.