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appendicitis
(ә-pen″dĭ-si´tis)
inflammation of the vermiform appendix, a serious disease that usually requires surgical removal (appendectomy). The classic symptoms are pain, nausea, vomiting, and low-grade fever in adults. Children tend to have higher fevers. The
pain usually begins in the umbilical region and eventually localizes in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen over the site
of the appendix. If not treated promptly, the appendix may rupture, causing life-threatening peritonitis.
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