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In most cases, an appendectomy is an emergency medical procedure. Appendicitis occurs suddenly and typically develops over a six- to 12-hour period. Patients may experience abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting, reduced appetite, and other symptoms that gradually worsen and eventually cause them to seek medical care.
A physician may suspect appendicitis if the patient reports symptoms typically associated with the condition. To help confirm the diagnosis, the physician may test the patient’s blood for an elevated white cell count, which indicates the presence of an infection. A urine test can also help detect other conditions that might cause similar symptoms, such as a kidney stone (painful, solid mass of crystal in the kidney) or urinary tract infection (infection of the kidneys, ureters, bladder or urethra that is usually due to bacteria).
Imaging tests can help confirm  the presence of appendicitis or another disease. These may include an abdominal x-ray, an ultrasound scan (which uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image) or a computed axial tomography (CAT) scan (which uses a series of computer-generated x-rays to form a detailed image). Because of the sudden nature of appendicitis, there is usually little time to prepare for an appendectomy. Once the physician has determined that appendicitis is the likely cause of a patient’s symptoms, emergency surgery will be scheduled. It is important to remove the appendix promptly before it ruptures, which can cause serious health problems. Patients will typically be asked when they last ate a meal, because an empty stomach is needed before the patient can be given the general anesthesia for the procedure. Patients will also be asked about any medications they are taking and whether or not they are allergic to anesthesia. | 
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