One of the main advantages of keyhole surgery is the recovery time tends to be short and most people can leave hospital a few days after the operation.
If the appendix is operated upon promptly, most patients can go home within 24 hours. With open or complicated surgery – for example, if you have peritonitis – it may take up to a week before you're well enough to go home.
For the first few days after the operation you're likely to experience some pain and bruising. This improves over time, but you can take painkillers if necessary.
If you had keyhole surgery, you may experience pain in the tip of your shoulder for about a week. This is caused by the gas that was pumped into the abdomen during the operation.
You may also experience some short-term constipation. You can help reduce this by not taking codeine painkillers, eating plenty of fibre, and staying well hydrated. Your GP can prescribe medication if the problem is particularly troublesome.
Before leaving hospital, you'll be advised about caring for your wound and what activities you should avoid.
In most cases, you can return to normal activities in a couple of weeks, although more strenuous activities may need to be avoided for four to six weeks after open surgery.