After Noa Kirel’s Hospitalization, Doctors Explain When Stomach Pain May Signal Appendicitis

Noa Kirel’s honeymoon in Japan with Daniel Peretz was interrupted by a medical episode that led to her hospitalization at Ichilov Hospital. She later told followers that she had appendicitis and said her condition was good. The case prompted a wider explanation of when abdominal pain may actually be an inflamed appendix, when it needs urgent evaluation, and how doctors decide between antibiotics and surgery.

Dr. Asher Fain, a general, trauma and emergency surgeon at Assuta Ashdod, said the appendix is a small, several-centimeter organ attached to the right side of the large intestine, located in the lower right abdomen. Its exact function is unclear, though some studies suggest a possible immune or lymphatic role. The classic warning sign of appendicitis is pain that begins near the center of the abdomen and then shifts to the lower right side, often accompanied by loss of appetite, nausea, changes in bowel habits, fever, and elevated inflammatory markers.

Fain said a sudden abdominal pain that does not improve with painkillers is a red flag, especially if it worsens with walking or movement. He noted that women can be harder to diagnose because gynecological conditions, such as ovarian torsion or ectopic pregnancy, can mimic appendicitis. Diagnosis in hospital combines the clinical story, physical examination, blood tests and imaging, with CT considered the preferred test and ultrasound used more often for children, very young patients and pregnant women.

Dr. Elchanan Koint, a surgeon with Maccabi Health Services in the southern district, warned that untreated appendicitis can perforate, causing an intra-abdominal infection, an abscess, or the most severe complication, peritonitis, when infected bowel contents spill into the abdomen. He said simple appendicitis can sometimes be treated with antibiotics and pain relief, but the recurrence rate can reach 40% within five years. More complicated cases require surgery, which is now usually laparoscopic, typically takes about 30 minutes, and often allows discharge the next day. Recovery usually takes a few days, with a week or two off work and exercise.