The |appendix| is a small, worm-like attachment at the apex of the |cecum|. Because of its shape, it is often called the vermiform (worm-shaped) |appendix|. Evidence has shown that the |appendix| once may have taken a part in the digestion of durable matter, such as insect chitin and tree bark, but now is apparently vestigial (unnecessary) in the modern anatomy. The inflammation of the |appendix| is called |appendicitis|, and its removal is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures.
