Appendectomy: What to Expect
Antibiotics are given before an appendectomy to fight possible peritonitis. General anesthesia is usually given, and the appendix is removed through a 4-inch incision or by laparoscopy. If you have peritonitis, the abdomen is also irrigated and drained of pus.
Within 12 hours of surgery you may get up and move around. You can usually return to normal activities in two to three weeks. If surgery is done with a laparoscope (a thin telescope-like instrument for viewing inside the abdomen), the incision is smaller and recovery is faster.
After an appendectomy, call your doctor if you have:
Uncontrolled vomiting
Increased pain in your abdomen
Dizziness/feelings of faintness
Blood in your vomit or urine
Increased pain and redness in your incision
Fever
Pus in the wound