Appendix in Spanish

Where is the appendix?

MedlinePlus describes the appendix as a small, tube-like organ attached to the first part of the large intestine, located in the lower right part of the abdomen. NIDDK explains that the appendix is a finger-shaped pouch attached to the cecum and that the cecum is the first part of the large intestine. MedlinePlus says the appendix has no known function.

The appendix and appendicitis

According to MedlinePlus, a blockage inside of the appendix causes appendicitis. The blockage leads to increased pressure, problems with blood flow, and inflammation. If it is not treated, the appendix can burst and spread infection into the abdomen, which causes a condition called peritonitis. The main symptom is pain in the abdomen, often on the right side, that is usually sudden and gets worse over time. MedlinePlus states that appendicitis is a medical emergency and that treatment almost always involves removing the appendix. Emergency signs need urgent care (call 911 in the U.S.).

What it means

The appendix is a small, tube-like organ attached to the first part of the large intestine. It is located in the lower right part of the abdomen, and MedlinePlus says it has no known function. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) describes it as a finger-shaped pouch attached to the cecum, which is the first part of the large intestine. A blockage inside the appendix causes appendicitis; if the blockage is not treated, the appendix can burst and spread infection into the abdomen. MedlinePlus states that appendicitis is a medical emergency. Emergency signs need urgent care (call 911 in the U.S.). In Spanish the term is apéndice.

Appendix in Spanish

Spanish term: Apéndice
Gender and article: masculine: el apéndice
Pronunciation: ah-PEHN-dee-seh

Other Spanish terms	Where it is used	Note
apéndice cecal	General	Full anatomical name; the Spanish dictionary enters it together with apéndice vermicular and apéndice vermiforme.
apéndice vermiforme	General	Another full name in the same dictionary entry, which places the structure at the end of the intestino ciego (cecum).
apéndice vermicular	General	Third form given in the same dictionary entry heading.

Apéndice is the word used by both MedlinePlus en español and NIDDK en español, and the Spanish dictionary marks it as masculine: el apéndice. In the dictionary the organ's full names are apéndice cecal, apéndice vermicular and apéndice vermiforme. The first sense of the word in the same entry is more general, a thing attached or added to another.

NIDDK en español describes the appendix as una bolsita con forma de dedo unida al ciego; ciego is the cecum and intestino grueso is the large intestine. MedlinePlus en español titles its topic Apendicitis, a feminine noun (la apendicitis), and gives inflamación del apéndice as another name. The same page calls appendicitis una urgencia médica, uses extirpación del apéndice for removing the appendix, keeps peritonitis spelled as in English, and links to an encyclopedia article titled Apendicectomía.

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Patient	I have pain in the lower right part of my belly, and it keeps getting worse.	Tengo dolor en la parte inferior derecha del vientre, y empeora cada vez más.
Clinician	When did the pain start, and did it come on suddenly?	¿Cuándo empezó el dolor? ¿Apareció de repente?
Clinician	Have you had nausea, vomiting, or a fever?	¿Ha tenido náuseas, vómitos o fiebre?
Patient	Yes, I threw up twice and I do not feel like eating.	Sí, vomité dos veces y no tengo ganas de comer.
Clinician	Do you still have your appendix, or was it taken out?	¿Todavía tiene el apéndice o se lo extirparon?
Patient	I still have it. Could this be appendicitis?	Todavía lo tengo. ¿Podría ser apendicitis?
Clinician	We are going to do a CT scan of your abdomen to look at your appendix.	Vamos a hacerle una tomografía computarizada del abdomen para ver el apéndice.
Clinician	Appendicitis is a medical emergency. If the pain gets much worse at home, call 911.	La apendicitis es una urgencia médica. Si el dolor empeora mucho en casa, llame al 911.

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Appendix
Spanish (Español)	Apéndice
Chinese (中文)	闌尾
Korean (한국어)	충수
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Ruột thừa
Filipino (Tagalog)	Apendiks
Portuguese (Português)	Apêndice
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	ไส้ติ่ง
Japanese (日本語)	虫垂

Where you'll see it

CT abdomen reportoperative notedischarge summary

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Digestive system

All terms in this area: Digestive system — Sistema digestivo

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.