The case for keeping your appendix—when possible—continues to grow, with new evidence emerging that removing it could cause an inflamed bowel down the road.
A systematic review and meta-analysis showed those who’ve undergone surgery to remove their appendix may have 53 percent elevated odds of developing Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This finding, presented in December 2023 at the Advances in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases annual meeting, substantiates accumulating evidence that the appendix plays an important immunomodulating role.
Made up of lymphatic tissues, the appendix is now believed to help maintain balance in the gut microbiota, which consists of the bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms that live in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The gut microbiome helps coordinate digestive and other bodily functions while playing an immunoprotective role by fighting off pathogenic microbes....
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