Measuring 8 centimeters in length by 4 to 8 millimeters in diameter, the appendix is a finger-shaped segment that protrudes from the large intestine, near the point where it joins the small intestine or cecum.
The function of this vestigial organ is immunological, since it is part of the lymphatic system, a network of nodes connected with special vessels that carry lymph. This is a liquid rich in white blood cells that helps water and certain proteins return to the bloodstream.
Historically, many people have believed that the appendix serves little purpose within the body. When it attracts attention, it is usually because it has been infected. But the reputation of the appendix is improving. Researchers are learning that the appendix can play a key role in good health. And they are also developing less invasive ways to treat appendix infections.
What does the appendix do?
The appendix is attached to the first part of your large intestine. Its exact function is unclear. Some people believe that it is an evolutionary holdover that provides no health benefits.
This conventional wisdom has led to the widespread use of appendectomies to prevent and treat disease. For example, appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes inflamed. If you’re a man, your lifetime risk of appendicitis is 8.6%, the researchers warn in the World Journal of Gastroenterology. If you are a woman, your lifetime risk is 6.7%. To treat it, doctors would historically perform an appendectomy to remove the appendix.
Many appendectomies are used to prevent rather than treat disease. According to the study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology , the rate of appendectomies is higher than the rate of appendicitis . Approximately 36 incidental appendectomies are required to prevent one case of appendicitis.
Appendicitis can pose health risks, but so can surgery. Some people wonder if preventive surgery is the best approach. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the appendix could have a purpose. It could be a haven for helpful bacteria in the body. These helpful bacteria could help promote good digestion and support the immune system.
For years, researchers have found that appendicitis increases when communities introduce sanitary water systems. Such modern conveniences can lead to less friendly organisms in our microbiota. This can lead to a “depletion of the biome” in the body. In turn, this can cause the immune system to become overactive . It can leave the body vulnerable to certain disorders, such as appendicitis.
Thus, while widely viewed as a vestigial organ with little known function , the 2017 study published in the journal Comptes Rendus Palevol suggested that the appendix may serve an important purpose: to serve as a reservoir for beneficial gut bacteria. Studying and seeing how the appendix evolved in other mammals and works in these species can shed light on this mysterious organ in humans. Thus, experts from the Arizona Midwest University studied the evolution of the appendix among mammals. The international team collected data on the presence or absence of the appendix and other gastrointestinal and environmental features of 533 species of mammals. They mapped the data into a phylogeny ( genetic tree) to trace how the appendix evolved through mammalian evolution, and to try to determine why some species have an appendix while others don’t.
