For years, the appendix carried a reputation as the body’s most pointless organ. Doctors often removed it without hesitation, ...

DEAR DOCTOR K: Why do doctors remove the appendix when someone has appendicitis? Don’t we need this organ? DEAR READER: Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix. This small, fingerlike tube ...

Many Americans grew up with the idea their appendix is an unnecessary organ, made obsolete by evolution. But in the last 20 years or so, scientists have come to believe the appendix serves a purpose, ...

That sudden pain in your abdomen might just be indigestion—or it could be something far more serious. When it comes to appendicitis, knowing the difference could save your life. This potentially ...