Thresholds: Tool To Determine Appendicitis

Thresholds in the road surface are a commonly used measure traffic in order to limit the speed. Now it turns out that traffic thresholds may still have other kinds of benefits: as a tool to determine appendicitis.


Who has ever had an emergency appendectomy, knows how painful this is. "I had a pain level of 9 on a scale of 1-10," says Niels (23) in which the vermiform appendix was inflamed four years ago. "The pain started around five o'clock in the afternoon. Then I went to eat pizza, but the pain in my stomach but did not. It was so intense that I could not sleep. " Arriving at the emergency room, Niels' problem was not recognized as an inflamed appendix. If he had driven over some speed bumps, this was perhaps happened.

People with an inflamed appendix should go to the hospital as soon as possible. If the appendix is ​​not surgically removed, the inflammation can lead to a perforation of the intestine and a subsequent blood poisoning. "When in doubt, take it out is according NTvG a common motto among surgeons. Generations surgeons were trained in the practical slogan that it is better to remove healthy ten appendices, several inflamed appendix to leave.

The diagnosis of a so-called appendicitis is sometimes missed. The internist blames the ache of something else. Also at the inflamed appendix Niels was this: "When I was at night with excruciating abdominal pain was in the hospital, I got suppositories home. The doctors thought that something was bothering my gut and I could poop it out. "

Speed bumps

The ride to the hospital is ready for an emergency appendectomy patient no fun, let alone if there are bumps in the road. Some patients complain on arrival about the speed bumps worsened abdominal pain. Internists of Oxford University wondered if they could use it as a handy tool to detect an inflamed appendix.

Of the 101 British patients with possible appendicitis interviewed by the researchers, there were 64 driving over speed bumps. Patients were "speed bump positive" declared it had worsened pain during the passage of traffic thresholds and "speed bump negative" when their pain remained the same, or if they did not know it anymore. Of the 34 patients who are diagnosed with appendicitis after biopsy, there were 33 traffic threshold positive. Thus, in 97 percent of cases, painful bumps could predict the correct diagnosis.

The redeeming diagnosis

Niels, who had claims to be the most disgusting night of his life behind him, is three o'clock at night, went back to the hospital. 'The suppositories, of course, not worked. All night I had to vomit from the pain. " This time was pricked blood immediately upon arrival and to his relief followed from the blood test redeeming diagnosis: the appendix is ​​inflamed and needs immediate surgery. With strong pills he fell asleep and he was operated on at eight.

Speed ​​bump pain had not felt Niels, but he may have something to propose. "In the three times we drove back and forth to the hospital we had a road barrier to me. During the last trip I had a pain, 9. Dan does every movement hurt. So if there had been speed bumps, I had them probably felt. "

Waterproof the speed bump test is not. On the one can is convenient to be able to say 'you did not experience any speed bumps? Then you probably do not have appendicitis. Turn the reasoning can not. Thus, patients who register pain when speed bumps do not always have an inflamed appendix. In this study there were for example, the speed bump positives, including patients with a ruptured ovarian or hip infection.

How is it that speed bumps unpack so painful for these people? The jolting movement probably causes irritation of the peritoneum. Deliberately take the bumpy road with an emergency appendectomy gevalletje is not the intention, but if you happen to pass a speed bump, it might still come in handy. If it is just to rule out appendicitis.