Laparoscopic Colon Resection

What Is Laparoscopic Colon Resection? The human digestive system comprises organs that help break down the food, absorb nutrients, and excrete waste material from the body. When you eat something, the food travels from the mouth to the stomach through the esophagus.

The food then enters the small intestine where it is absorbed, and the un-dissolved nutrients move into the large intestine (colon). The colon stores the waste until it is removed through rectum or anus.  The large intestine is vital to the digestive system, and adverse effects of a medical condition may require you to go through surgical intervention.

What Is Laparoscopic Colon Resection?

Essentially, Colectomy or colon resection is a surgical technique to treat the diseases affecting your colon, such as colon cancer. During the surgery, the doctor removes the cancerous part of the colon. Depending upon the severity, the surgeon may perform

• Total colectomy – removing the colon completely
• Partial Colectomy – removing a part of the colon affected by cancer
• Hemi-colectomy – removing the left or right half of the colon.
• Proctocolectomy – removing both the colon and rectum

After the removal of the cancerous portion, the surgeon sews the healthy ends of the colon to leave enough space for the waste to leave the body. However, if the surgeon has cut the colon completely, then he/she may perform a colostomy.

Conditions That Colectomy Treats

A patient may undergo a colon resection for various medical conditions associated with the large intestine.  For instance, you may need surgery for colon cancer, polyps, inflammatory bowel diseases, obstruction in the intestine, bleeding, and other problems.

• Intestinal Blockage: Obstruction in the colon calls for urgent medical help. The surgeon may perform a total or partial colectomy to clear the colon.
• Colon Cancer: Colon cancer affects more than 100,000 US citizens each year. However, proper screening may help prevent cancer. For the newly developed cancer, the surgeon may remove a part of the colon. On the other hand, for advanced-stage cancer, the doctor is likely to remove a bigger portion of the intestine.
• Excessive Bleeding: To treat uncontrolled bleeding, the surgeon may perform partial colectomy.
• Diverticulitis: In the case of complex diverticulitis, the surgeon may remove the affected area of the colon.

Preparation for the Surgery

Colon resection is a major surgical procedure, and it is better to take some preventive measure before the surgery day.

• Talk to your doctor and avoid the medicines that may complicate the surgical procedure.
• For certain colon resections, your doctor may ask you to keep fast hours before the surgery.
• In some situations, the surgeon may prescribe antibiotics to evade a possible infection.
• Your colon has to be empty before the surgery. And for this purpose, the surgeon may give you an oral solution to drink hours before the surgery.

The Surgical Procedures

Your surgeon may perform the surgery in either of the following ways:

Open Colectomy

During the traditional open surgery, the surgeon makes a large cut in the abdomen to access the colon. With the help of the surgical tools, the doctor then removes the affected tissues surrounding the colon. He/she may go for total or partial colectomy.

Laparoscopic colectomy

The minimally invasive technique, also called laparoscopic colectomy, involves several tiny incisions in the abdomen. The surgeon may mark as many as 4 to 5 cuts and insert a laparoscope through one of them.

The real-time video helps the surgeon monitor the patient’s internal organs. With a surgical tool, the doctor takes out the colon from the body and removes the affected part. After the removal, the surgeon places the colon back in the abdomen through an incision.

Final Thoughts

Laparoscopic colon resection does not cause pain or discomfort, and the patient recovers faster as compared to open colectomy. If your colon is affected and requires a colon resection, Lenox Hill Surgeons is the right place in NYC. Our dedicated and skilled surgeons have expertise in minimally invasive surgeries, and we provide quality healthcare. Contact us today and book an appointment with the best surgeons in town.

LENOX HILL SURGEONS
155 East 76th Street
Suite 1C
New York, NY 10021

646-846-1136