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Can an appendectomy block my bowels?
I'm supposed to get an appendectomy at the end of this week, and I read that a possible complication can be blocked bowel movements. Does this happen often in appendectomies?
2 Answers
This is called bowel obstruction from adhesions or hernia, every abdominal surgery has this risk.
Every type of intra-abdominal surgery has a risk of developing scar tissue that can cause a bowel obstruction in the future. Laparoscopic surgery, as I presume your appendectomy will be, has a much lower risk of that occurring. The risk of a future bowel obstruction is not so high that it should worry you or prevent you from getting a needed surgery.