A historical review of appendicitis: from ancient civilizations to modern treatment

Abstract

Appendicitis, one of the most common surgical emergencies, has undergone a remarkable evolution in understanding and management. Ancient Egyptian, Greek, Ayurvedic, and Chinese medical writings describe syndromes resembling acute appendicitis, though the appendix itself was anatomically unknown. During the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci, Berengario da Carpi, and Vesalius first depicted and described the organ, while Claudius Amyand performed the first appendectomy in 1735. The major breakthrough came in 1886, when Reginald Heber Fitz identified the appendix as the source of inflammation and coined the term appendicitis. Subsequent decades brought advances in surgery, anesthesia, antisepsis, antibiotics, and eventually laparoscopy, transforming a once fatal disease into a routine condition. In the modern era, nonoperative antibiotic management for uncomplicated cases challenges traditional surgical practice. The history of appendicitis illustrates the broader progress of medical science — from speculation to evidence-based precision.