Anyone get their appendix out?

[crazyoldboatguy]

Then there was that famous case during WW2 when a Pharmacists Mate performed an appendectomy on a submariner while the boat was submerged in enemy waters.

My younger brother had his appendix removed when he was in his mid-40s. My wife had hers removed at the same time her gallbladder was removed about 3 years ago and she was 56. So, no worries for her offshore. I am only short the gallbladder - 1991.

A properly equipped offshore vessel will have the antibiotics on board to manage appendicitis until the crew can reach assistance. A bile duct blocked by a gallstone can be a medical emergency in some cases, if the stone doesn't pass and gangrene sets in. A kidney stone is equally as painful and can also be life-threatening. What is the prophylaxis for that?

[pbmaise]

I was perfectly healthy, no family history, and less than 2 months before planned sailing trip across 1/2 Pacific was on the table. Fly to Thailand or Korea and have it done. We sailors will spend thousands of dollars on hardware

x if ....
y if ....
and
z if ....

Yet the chance of these occurences are more remote.

[JPA Cate]

Interesting to see this old thread revived.

FWIW, I was medivaced due to a femoral hernia that required repair. Considering the painful death I would have had had we been in an isolated area, I then scheduled prophylact repair for the other side. Good thing I did, because the original one had begun to re-erupt. I had both done, and with tiny little screws holding in kevlar patches so they couldn't fail again. Very sailor-like.