Trevor Noah Undergoes Emergency Appendectomy: What Does the Procedure Entail?

image

Trevor Noah is the host of the “Daily Show” on Comedy Central. (Photo: Getty Images)

Daily Show host Trevor Noah is recovering after undergoing an emergency appendectomy, Comedy Central announced in a statement today (Nov. 4) on Twitter.


While the specifics surrounding Noah’s appendectomy have not been made public, the procedure — which is the surgical removal of the appendix from the body — is typically done in response to appendicitis, according to the National Library of Medicine. The appendix is an approximately 6-inch-long tube that comes off the large intestine.

Where the appendix is located in the body. (Photo: Istock)

Appendicitis is a condition where the appendix becomes inflamed or infected because it has become filled with something — whether it be mucus, bacteria, stool, or something foreign. Treatment is needed at the first sign of appendicitis because of the danger of the appendix rupturing, which can happen two to three days after the initial onset of symptoms, Johns Hopkins Medicine reports.

When the appendix ruptures, whatever is inside the appendix then leaks out into the abdomen — which is bad, because that could lead to infection, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. This can also be life-threatening.

Symptoms of appendicitis include pain in the right lower abdominal area, pain starting in the navel area that then shifts to the right lower abdominal area, and pain that is made worse when you move, the Mayo Clinic reports. People with the condition may also experience nausea/vomiting, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, fever, and loss of appetite. Diagnosis usually involves a physical exam, and can also include blood and urine tests (to check for infection and to rule out a UTI or kidney stone) and an imaging test.

The treatment for appendicitis is typically an appendectomy (and is frequently done as an emergency procedure because of the risk of rupture). There are two kinds of appendectomy procedures: the open method, where an incision is actually made in the body by a surgeon and the appendix is removed, and the laparoscopic method, which involves small incisions being made and doctors using tiny video cameras to look inside the abdomen (the appendix is then taken out of one of these small incisions), Johns Hopkins Medicine explains.

Recovery after an appendectomy usually is quick, with patients being able to go home after just one to two days post-surgery. It usually takes two to four weeks after leaving the hospital for a patient to go back to their normal activities, the National Library of Medicine reports.

We’re wishing Trevor a speedy recovery!

Read This Next: 7 Pains You Should Never Ignore