News about the appendix

hockeyfan, I'm like you. Appy out at the time of resection and that is when I was dx'd.

I still have both.  Of course, I have never had abdominal surgery at all, or they would have taken my appendix, I'm sure.

I posted this a couple days ago. if anyone wants to read more about this. yp

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-10-05-appendix_N.htm?csp=34

had my tonsils out when i was 3 years old. they took my appendix after my surgery because they moved my colon up 3 feet. another words my appendix would've been in the wrong spot if not removed.

hi hockeyfan I had my tonsil out at age 7. I still have my appy but I never had a resection either.

still got all my bits :)

i "losted" my tonsils this past year. (now THAT was some pain) so for me tonsils after d'x, but i still have my appy. my twin sister who has not been dx'ed with crohns has had her appy removed however.

bunny

Strangely enough, my appendix was removed a couple of months before dx. BUT I was definitely in a flare at the time, so removal wasn't what prompted first flare. The pathology was a little vague on my appendix, it was classified as "old" -- whatever that means. The ovarian cyst attached to it was the main reason for removal.

L.

There's some older research I once found at PubMed wherein there was some fairly strong indication that removal of the appendix made one somewhat more susceptible to Crohn's BUT appeared to be somewhat protective for not developing UC.

I had a elective tubal ligation, at the same time they did a bladder and uterine suspension (had no idea I needed them) AND an appendectomy. I was blackmailed into the appendectomy and I've always resented it. I was told they would take the appendix when they did the ligation. I told them I did NOT want them to take the appendix. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. They refused to do the ligation unless they also took the appendix. It was a standoff for over a year. But then I had a pregnancy scare. Turned out to be a false alarm but that drove me to agree to the ligation - and appendix removal.

Two years later Crohn's symptoms began and 6 months later I was Dx'd w/Crohn's. D*amn surgeons! Two years after that I had a resection for 18" of the mid-ileum so I still have the TI and ICV. Altho now there is some mild inflammation in that area and some scarring.

A couple of years ago I developed a cataract. It finally progressed to the point it was causing enough problems to consider having it removed but I "could" have done all right for some time yet. Like I fool I [b]elected[/b] to have the surgery done. Its not like I went to some snuffy or that I didn't get a couple of opinions first. I made the mistake of having the surgery done at U of M's Kellogg Eye Center by their leading ophthalmic surgeon. They sheister gave me a "reading" lens inplant when I was specific that I wanted a "distance" lens inplant. THAT was HIS mistake that I am paying the consequences of. To add insult to injury, they mis-measured my eye so that its not even the correct "reading" lens inplant. (That's a risk that I WAS aware of).

I'll have to be dead and dying BEFORE I ever agree to another surgery!! I have an almost 7cm ovarian cyst they've wanted to cut out since we found it at 4 cms. Even Mayo Clinic has wanted to cut out that resection site at the mid-ileum for several years now, but their surgeon mentioned they "might" have to take the new area at the TI/ICV area as well. I adamantly refused to agree to the TI/ICV area, they said they couldn't do the mid-ileum surgery if their hands were tied regarding the TI/ICV area. [b]D*amn surgeons![/b] So I refused the surgery. And I do NOT regret refusing either surgery. Like I said, when I'm dead and dying - maybe.

I still have my tonsils and had my appendix removed during my first surgery for CD because I had an abscess draining into it and it was about to burst. I had CD and all it's symptoms way before they removed my appendix.

CrohnieToo: why on earth did they have to remove your appendix to do a tubal ligation? And what is the TI/ICV area? They must have a reason for wanting to take it out, they must suspect disease? I can understand your reluctance to have more surgeries.  I never had anything go wrong with a surgery until this last one, and it changed my perspective entirely (aside from wanting to hunt down and torture my surgeon, lol). 

At the time of my tubal ligation, if they went into the abdomen for any reason they routinely removed the appendix. There are still quite a few behind the times doctors who insist on doing so maintaining it is all too likely a source of future infection and possible emergency surgery.

Years ago almost every kid ended up having their tonsils and adenoids removed because they, at least the tonsils, "weren't needed" and were a likely source of infection and eventual need for surgery and their removal in kids was much easier and less dangerous than for adults.

I escaped that logic, fortunately.

Agreed! Once that area has to go there is little choice, the appendix has to go too.