Your colon plays a critical role in removing water and nutrients from digested food before it passes out of your body. If there’s an issue with your colon, your body may not be able to get essential nutrients or successfully pass digested waste out of your system. When that happens, a colon resection or colectomy may be needed. Here’s a closer look at how the procedure is performed.

Colon Resection Surgery

Colon resection surgery, sometimes referred to as large bowel resectioning, is a procedure that removes part or all of your colon. The surgery also has other names based on exactly what is being removed:

• A proctocolectomy is the removal of your entire colon and rectum
• A subtotal colectomy is the removal of the entire colon but not the rectum
• A partial colectomy is the removal of part of the colon but not the rectum

As we mentioned above, the surgery may be performed for a number of different reasons. The most common problems that call for a colon resection include:

• Colon cancer
• Intestinal blockage (oftentimes due to scar tissue)
• Diverticular disease

Other issues like familial polyposis, intussusception, precancerous polyps or gastrointestinal bleeding can also lead to the need for a colectomy, but these issues are rarer than the above conditions.

Risks and Surgical Procedure

As with any surgical operation, there are risks involved. Complications are rare, but some of the risks that patients and surgeons need to be mindful of include bleeding, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, bowel obstruction, infection, injury to nearby organs and tears in the sutures used to reconnect portion of your digestive system.

Like many surgeries in your endocrine system, a colectomy can be performed in one of two ways; an open or laparoscopic colectomy.

• Open colectomy – During an open colectomy a large incision is made along the patient’s abdomen. This will allow the surgeon to have direct access to your colon. The surgeon will then use tools to free your colon from the surrounding tissue. The surgeon addresses the colon and rectum as needed before closing the surgical site with sutures.
• Laparoscopic colectomy – A laparoscopic colectomy is generally the preferred method as it reduces the likelihood of complication and offers are shorter recovery time for the patient, although not every patient will be a candidate for the laparoscopic procedure. This operation involves making several small incisions in the abdomen and inserting a small tube attached to a micro-camera. The camera allows the surgeon to see the intestine and nearby organs. The surgeon removes part or all of the colon as necessary before closing the incision sites with sutures.

For more information about the surgery, contact Dr. Koeplin today.