The appendix is a closed-end tube that opens into the caecum, near the junction of the small intestines and large intestines. It is a vestigial organ (i.e. one that has lost much or all of its original function through evolution), originally designed to help with the digestion of grasses, bark and leaves.
It is thought that appendicitis may be caused as a result of food waste (such as a fruit stone) or a hard piece of faeces obstructing the opening of the appendix, trapping bacteria inside the pouch and causing it to become swollen and irritated. The swelling may cut off the blood supply to the appendix, resulting in serious inflammation and infection. Alternatively, a long appendix may get twisted or caught up in a band of peritoneum, the lining membrane of the abdomen, again causing a blockage.
It is also thought that appendicitis may also follow a general infection, such as a gastrointestinal viral infection, where germs invade the appendix rapidly, causing it to become inflamed and filled with pus.
If not treated promptly, an inflamed appendix may eventually rupture, releasing the infection into the rest of the abdomen.
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