Appendectomy

An appendectomy is surgery to remove your child’s appendix. An appendix is a finger-shaped organ that comes off of your large intestine. An appendix is removed when it is swollen or infected. If an appendix has a hole in it (perforation) it can leak into the belly. This can cause more infection. An appendectomy may be either an emergency surgery or a planned surgery, depending on your child’s condition. Your child’s doctor will decide if your child needs to stay in the hospital or can come to the hospital on the day of the surgery. The appendix is a small structure at the base of the colon that looks like a stalk or a worm. When the appendix becomes inflamed or infected (appendicitis), it needs to be removed with a surgical procedure called an appendectomy.