A sudden appendectomy as a child made Heather Smith curious about what the appendix is for and why it gets inflamed. Now as an anatomy researcher, she's finding answers.
When children have stomach pain, many parents' minds go to appendicitis, which requires surgery. But if the child can jump without major pain, they are probably OK, doctors say.
An uninsured Colorado man who had appendicitis owed $80,232 after two surgeries. After months of negotiating with the hospital, he still owes far more than most insurers would pay for the procedures.
