Home

helps physicians and healthcare professionals

Erectile Dysfunction

helps physicians and healthcare professionals

Doctor123.org

helps physicians and healthcare professionals

Colorectal Resection


Why is this procedure done?


This procedure is the removal of your large bowel. Your large bowel is your colon. You may have all or just part of it taken out. Normally, the large bowel connects the small bowel to your rectum. The large bowel digests food as it passes through. This procedure is done to treat problems like: ‚  
  • Bleeding
  • Small pouches in the wall of the colon
  • Blockage in the bowel
  • Cancer tumor or polyps
  • Injury to the colon or dead bowel
  • Inflammation
  • Ulcers

In most cases, the part of the large bowel with the problem is taken out. Then, the ends are stitched back together. Sometimes, the doctor has to remove a large amount of your bowel. Then, the doctor may have to bring one end of the bowel out and attach it to your skin. This is a stoma or ostomy. The procedure is a colostomy. Talk to your doctor about what treatment you may need. ‚  


View OriginalView Original

What will the results be?


  • Decreased growth and spread of cancer cells
  • Signs of improvement

What happens before the procedure?


  • Your doctor will take your history. Talk to your doctor about:
    • All the drugs you are taking. Be sure to include all prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, and herbal supplements. Tell the doctor about any drug allergy. Bring a list of drugs you take with you.
    • Any bleeding problems. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are taking any drugs that may cause bleeding. Some of these are Coumadin, ibuprofen, Aleve (naproxen), or aspirin. Certain vitamins and herbs, such as garlic and fish oil, may also add to the risk for bleeding. You may need to stop these drugs as well. Talk to your doctor about them.
    • When you need to stop eating or drinking before your procedure.
    • Your doctor will order drugs to clean out your colon. Your doctor will tell you to take drugs that will cause watery stools. These may be liquids, pills, or both.
  • Your doctor will do an exam an may order:
    • Lab tests
    • X-ray
  • You will not be allowed to drive right away after the procedure. Ask a family member or a friend to drive you home.

What happens during the procedure?


  • Once you are in the operating room, the staff will put an IV in your arm to give you fluids and drugs. You will be given a drug to make you sleepy. It will also help you stay pain free during the surgery.
  • When you are asleep, the doctors put a tube in your mouth to help you breathe. They may also put another small tube in your nose. This one goes down to your stomach to drain out any food or fluid that might come out during surgery. You will have a tube in your bladder to drain urine.
  • Your doctor may do this procedure in one of two ways.
    • Open surgery ¢ ˆ ’ A long cut will be made in the belly to remove part of the large bowel.
    • Laparoscopic surgery ¢ ˆ ’ A scope with a tiny camera is put through one of the small cuts to look at the bowels. Your doctor will put small surgical tools into the holes to do the procedure. To be able to view the site, your doctor will put gas into your belly. Then, your doctor will remove the affected area.
  • Most often, your doctor will stitch the healthy ends of the bowel back together. Your doctor may put a tube in your belly to drain fluids.
  • If the doctor had to take out a lot of your colon or if the bowel needs to rest, your doctor may do a colostomy. The doctor will take one or both ends of your bowel to the surface of your skin to make a stoma. Then, waste material will be able to drain from the stoma into a bag. You may need a colostomy for just a little while or you may need it forever.
  • Your doctor will close the belly wound with stitches and cover it with clean bandages.
  • This surgery takes 3 to 4 hours.

What happens after the procedure?


  • You will go to the Recovery Room and the staff will watch you closely. You may have to stay in the hospital for 4 to 7 days.
  • Within a day or two, you will get out of bed to a chair. The staff will help you begin to walk around. Doing coughing and deep breathing exercises will help keep your lungs clear.
  • You will get drugs through your IV to help with your pain.
  • You may have a tube through your nose that goes to your stomach to drain the stomach until the bowel starts to work again. After it comes out, you will start with eating clear liquids. Then, you will work up to a bland diet when you are able to tolerate foods.
  • Put pillows under your legs to keep them raised. Your doctor may have you wear special stockings to prevent blood clots. The staff will give you these stockings in the hospital.

What care is needed at home?


  • Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do. Talk to your doctor about:
    • How to care for your ostomy if you have one. You will need to learn how to change the ostomy bag. This bag is most often short-term and collects your bowel contents. It gives your bowel a chance to rest.
    • How to care for your cut sites. Be sure to wash your hands before touching your wound or dressings.
    • If you need to change your eating habits.
    • If you take drugs that are time-released or time-sustained. Your doctor will need to switch these drugs to a different form (immediate release drugs) while you are recovering from surgery.
    • When you may bathe or shower.
    • When you may go back to your normal activities like work, driving, or sex.
  • Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day.
  • Do not take laxatives. Ask your doctor before taking any drugs.
  • If your rectum is cut, sitting on a pillow after the surgery may make you feel more comfortable. Your doctor may have you take a bath called a sitz bath to help heal the rectum cut site and to keep the area clean. Sit in 2 to 3 inches of warm water in the tub for 10 to 15 minutes each time. Do this 3 to 4 times a day. Carefully wipe your bottom afterwards.

What follow-up care is needed?


  • Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
  • If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.

What lifestyle changes are needed?


  • You may have to limit your activity. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you.
  • Having a colostomy bag can change many things in your life. Talk to your doctor about how this may affect your activities, drugs you take, and the food you eat.

What problems could happen?


  • Bleeding inside your belly
  • Infection
  • Damage to nearby organs
  • The ends of the bowel that are sewn together come open
  • Scar tissue causes blockage of the bowel
  • Too much fluid loss if you have an ileostomy

Where can I learn more?


American Cancer Society ‚  
http://www.cancer.org/cancer/colonandrectumcancer/detailedguide/colorectal-cancer-treating-surgery ‚  
Society of the American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons ‚  
http://www.sages.org/publications/patient-information/patient-information-for-laparoscopic-colon-resection-from-sages/ ‚  

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer


This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚  

Copyright


Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚  
Copyright © 2016 - 2017
Doctor123.org | Disclaimer