The appendix is an organ we tend not to think about until it acts up, causes illness and needs to be removed surgically.

Most people know only two things about the appendix: You don’t need it – and if it bursts, you need surgery fast. That basic story traces back at least to Charles Darwin, the English naturalist who ...

Appendicitis is not an inherited condition, but genetics may play a role. However, the cause of appendicitis is often unclear. Appendicitis refers to inflammation of the appendix. An infection may ...

Appendicitis progresses through four stages: simple (inflammation without complications), suppurative (inflammation with pus and ulcers), gangrenous (tissue death), and perforated (ruptured appendix).

Appendicitis is the most common nonobstetric surgical emergency in pregnancy. It occurs when the appendix, a small organ in the digestive system, becomes inflamed and infected. Symptoms typically ...