How to diagnose chronic appendicitis?

Many gastrointestinal diseases have the same symptoms, which can easily lead to misdiagnosis. To diagnose chronic appendicitis, you need to know more about your own condition. For example, whether there is a history of typical acute appendicitis or recurrent pain in the right lower abdomen.

1. Have a history of typical acute appendicitis.

In patients with recurrent appendicitis, previous acute appendicitis lesions were often more severe. The medical history should include a typical history of acute appendicitis. If there is a history of appendicitis abscess or inflammatory mass, the diagnostic value will be greater.

2. There are recurrent attacks of pain and tenderness in the right lower abdomen.

Thickening of the appendix wall, narrowing of the lumen, and obstructed emptying can easily induce acute infection or residual infection, often causing pain and tenderness in the right lower abdomen. The location of abdominal pain and mild tenderness caused by chronic appendicitis should be the same as that of previous acute appendicitis, differing only in degree.

3. X-ray barium meal examination.

This is a very important check. Especially when there is no typical history of onset, barium meal examination can not only confirm that the tenderness point is located in the appendix, but also rule out other lesions. The X-ray signs of chronic appendicitis include interrupted, twisted, slow emptying of the appendix, and difficulty in pushing it forward due to adhesions. If the appendix cavity is completely blocked, it will not be visualized. The relationship between the tender point and the appendix can be judged based on the location of the visualization in the ileocecal region.