[1] Extirpation is used in the treatment of various medical conditions and also as a means to prevent the spread of cancer.
[2] Extirpation of the appendix, or appendectomy, is the standard treatment utilized in cases of acute appendicitis.
[3][4] Approximately 300,000 individuals in the United States have their appendix removed each year.
[5] Extirpation of the colon, or colectomy, is used in the treatment of patient's ulcerative colitis whose condition is resistant to other therapies.
Extirpation of the gallbladder, known as a cholecystectomy, may be used as a treatment for recurrent gallstones or cholecystitis.