A woman who went for routine surgery claims she woke up with an extra organ missing.
Bella, 23, checked in for an operation earlier this year to treat her endometriosis, a painful condition that causes tissue similar to uterine lining to grow outside of the uterus.
Diagnosed with a moderate form of the condition, Bella had grown used to severe pain and procedures to remove cysts that form from the tissue.
But when she woke up from surgery, doctors told her that they didn’t stop at removing the growths.
Bella said: ‘You know what’s crazy? I had endometriosis surgery, right, and I woke up and they said, “Hey, we took your appendix.”‘
While doctors assured her the disease had not spread to her appendix, they removed it as a precaution so appendicitis could be ruled out if she has further pelvic pain.
In a TikTok video posted last week, which has gotten 500,000 views, Bella said: ‘So you took my whole-a** organ that was healthy and totally normal just so that someone will believe me in the future?’
Bella is far from the only patient to come out of surgery missing an organ that wasn’t meant to be removed.
Bella, 23, pictured here, underwent surgery for her endometriosis earlier this year. However, doctors removed her appendix as well without telling her until after
Earlier this year, 70-year-old William Bryan, 70, died after doctors took out his liver instead of his spleen during emergency surgery.
And last year, George Piano, 72, of Washington, was supposed to have his appendix taken out, but doctors removed part of his large intestine instead. This caused him to develop a severe infections from his bowel leaking contents into his abdomen.
In a follow-up clip, which has since been deleted, she that she signed off on surgery to remove her IUD and ‘excision of endometriosis.’
This is typically a laparoscopic procedure, which involves making a small incision and then inserting a tube into the abdomen with a camera on it, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
However, she claims the surgical paperwork also listed ‘laparoscopic appendectomy.’
Bella said: ‘So no, I did not sign off on this.’
She said she was warned that her endometriosis could have spread to her appendix, bladder, colon, or uterus, and she agreed to have surgery on those organs if necessary.
However, she was told her appendix was completely healthy.
The appendix has long been considered useless, though recent research suggests it could have unseen benefits.
In one study, researchers said it may act as a ‘natural reserve’ for healthy bacteria due to its ability to extend to different parts of the intestine.
Additional research has shown that the appendix has evolved several times, which could increase longevity in mammals over time, as its healthy bacteria could reduce the risk of deadly infections.
An appendectomy is considered a simple procedure, though it can come with risks, such as bruising, bleeding, blood clots, bowel obstructions, and hernias.
While many TikTok said they had also had an appendectomy when undergoing other surgeries, they noted that their doctors had asked them first.
Several users expressed their shock at Bella’s story.
One viewer said: ‘But why would they not tell you beforehand that they were going to remove it?’
A user named Marianna said: ‘As someone with no appendix…they don’t believe you later either…hope this helps.’
Viewer Ashlee Roberts said: ‘I would have agreed to this, but how are you not going to even tell me first?!’
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