PROCEDURES Colon Resection Surgery
The colon, or the large intestine, is the lower part of your digestive tract where remaining waste from the small intestine moves through to be expelled from the body through the rectum. Colon resection surgery otherwise known as a colectomy, is primarily an oncology surgery, but may also be done for the following reasons:
- As part of treatment for inflammatory bowel disease
- To remove an obstruction or blockage in the colon
- As part of treatment for colon cancer to remove a tumour
Surgery for colon resection is generally done using open surgery.
What does colon resection surgery involve?
Once under general anaesthesia, Dr Kruger will make an incision into the lower abdomen. How much of the colon needs to be resected will depend on the stage, type and location of the cancer. In most cases a partial colectomy is done. During this surgery only the colon affected by the tumour and nearby tissue is removed. Thereafter the remaining healthy ends of the colon are reconnected to one another.
In severe cases where there isn’t enough healthy tissue left of the large intestine to reconnect it or if for some reason the remaining ends of the large intestine cannot be reconnected, a colostomy may be done. A colostomy involves an opening (stoma) being created in the abdominal wall for a bag to be attached so that waste may be excreted. Once you are healthier, this colostomy can be reversed and the two ends of the colon can be reattached to one another, or to the small intestine. Rarely the colostomy is permanent.
What can I expect for recovery?
You will be placed in the recovery area after surgery and once the anaesthesia wears off you will be moved to the ward. You can expect to be kept in hospital for observation for four to five days. Some pain may be expected however Dr Kruger will prescribe medication to ease discomfort. For a few days after surgery, you will not be able to eat anything and will remain on a liquid diet until your colon has healed. For those with a colostomy, Dr Kruger will discuss the dietary restrictions. If this colostomy is temporary, he will discuss reversal surgery with you.
Once discharged, full recovery may take approximately 6 weeks. Depending on the stage of cancer, surgery may need to be followed with chemotherapy and radiation.
