Colon Surgery in Scottsdale, AZ

WHAT IS COLON SURGERY?

The colon (also known as the large intestine) is the final organ in the digestive process that prepares waste for elimination from the body. When a disease or medical condition affects the colon, patients can suffer many painful symptoms, like rectal bleeding, stomach pain, vomiting, and more. The full or partial removal of the colon may be needed to treat colon diseases including uncontrolled bleeding in the colon, bowel obstruction, colon cancer, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or diverticulitis. At Arizona Premier Surgery, patients can have a minimally invasive laparoscopic colectomy to effectively treat colorectal diseases with a:

• Total Colectomy – removes the entire colon
• Partial (Subtotal) Colectomy – removes part of the colon
• Hemicolectomy – removes the right or left section of the colon
• Proctocolectomy (Abdominal Perineal Resection) – removes the colon and rectum

COMMON REASONS FOR COLON SURGERY

Uncontrolled Bleeding

Bleeding in the colon may be caused by colon cancer, colon polyps, ulcerative colitis, and other colorectal diseases. If the bleeding cannot be controlled with nonsurgical methods, a full or partial colectomy may be performed.

Bowel Obstruction

If nonsurgical treatments are not effective or the situation requires emergency care, a blocked colon may be fixed with a total or partial colectomy.

Colon Cancer

One of the options for treating colon cancer is a colectomy. Early-stage colon cancer may only require a small portion of the colon to be removed, while later stages may require most or all of the colon be removed.

Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease is an advanced form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can cause many painful, long-term symptoms. Since there is currently no cure for Crohn’s disease, one of the treatment options is the full or partial removal of the colon.

Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is another advanced form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that creates chronic inflammation and ulcers. If nonsurgical treatments are not successful or providing enough relief, a colectomy may be suggested.

Diverticulitis

Diverticulitis is an inflamed or infected bulge that has formed in the lining of the colon. Mild cases may be treated with medication or lifestyle changes, but severe or recurring cases of diverticulitis may be best treated with a full or partial colectomy.

Preventative Treatment

A colectomy may be performed to prevent larger problems including patients who have a high risk of developing colon cancer. This may include patients who have multiple precancerous polyps that have formed in the colon, genetic conditions like Lynch syndrome or familial adenomatous polyposis.

HOW LAP AND ROBOT COLECTOMY WORKS

If a full or partial colectomy is chosen to treat a colorectal disease or condition, surgery will be scheduled at our office or an accredited surgical facility and the patient will be given a list of pre-operative instructions. Colon removal surgery is performed with the patient under general anesthesia as thin tubes are threaded through 3 – 5 small incisions in the stomach. Using the telescope on the end of one of the tubes, the surgeon will begin to remove the necessary parts of the colon. If needed, the intestines will be re-routed to skip the colon during the digestive process. Once the surgery is complete, the incisions will be closed and the patient will be taken to the recovery area.

WHAT TO EXPECT WITH COLON SURGERY

A colectomy is usually performed in about 2 hours as an inpatient surgery. Once released from the facility, patients typically need about 3 – 4 weeks for recovery before they can return to work and normal activities. Patients may be given prescriptions for pain or constipation that should be filled before their surgery to make their recovery easier. Patients should schedule a follow up appointment with their surgeon about 4 – 6 weeks after their surgery to check healing progress and discuss adding more strenuous activities.

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