For years, the appendix carried a reputation as the body’s most pointless organ. Doctors often removed it without hesitation, ...

“I'm sure we're going to find out one day that the brain is as worthless as the appendix.” —Scott McClanahan The poor, maligned appendix. That worm-like accessory dangling from our intestines has long ...

Generally treated as a medical emergency, appendicitis can leave a person doubled over in agony. The most common symptom is abdominal pain, explains Dr. Martin Zielinski, a surgeon trained in critical ...

Acute appendicitis remains one of the most common non-obstetric emergencies encountered during pregnancy. Its diagnosis is complicated by anatomical shifts and physiologic alterations that may obscure ...

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 ...