Colon Surgery Specialist

Why might I need colon surgery?

Your colon (large bowel) is at the end of your digestive system, between your small intestine and rectum. You might need colon surgery to treat serious conditions like:

Colon cancer

Most colon cancers develop from tiny growths called polyps that sometimes develop in the bowel lining. While most polyps are harmless, they can mutate and become cancerous.

Routine colonoscopy is a highly effective way of detecting and removing polyps before they mutate and reach a cancerous stage. However, surgery might be necessary if you haven't undergone screening and your colon cancer grows and spreads.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

The two primary types of IBD are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. These autoimmune disorders cause a range of symptoms, such as:

• Inflammation
• Rectal bleeding
• Passing pus and mucus
• Diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Malabsorption
• Abdominal pain
• Fecal incontinence

IBD is incurable, but many patients successfully control their condition using medications such as anti-inflammatories, steroids, and immune system suppressants. If your symptoms are severe and drugs aren't helping, you may then need colon surgery.

What does colon surgery involve?

The type of colon surgery you require depends on your condition, how much of the colon is affected, and other health issues you might have.

One of the most common types of colon surgery involves removing the diseased section of the bowel and reconnecting the healthy ends. This procedure removes all the affected tissue to help prevent your condition from returning.

If Dr. Joseph has to remove extensive portions of the bowel or needs to take out part or all of your rectum as well, you might require a stoma. This is a hole in the abdominal wall that carries waste from your digestive system to an external colostomy bag.

Sometimes, the stoma is permanent. In other cases, Dr. Joseph can perform an additional procedure such as an ileoanal anastomosis or J-pouch surgery. This involves forming a pouch from the small intestine that connects to the anus, enabling you to pass stools normally.

What techniques are used in colon surgery?

When possible, Dr. Joseph uses minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopic surgery or the robot-assisted da Vinci® surgical system to perform your colon surgery. A laparoscopic approach uses several small incisions rather than the large cut traditional open surgery requires.

There are also techniques like transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS). TAMIS uses laparoscopic instruments, but Dr. Joseph accesses your colon via your anus rather than making any abdominal incisions.

These techniques minimize tissue damage and pain and promote a faster recovery, but not all patients and procedures are suitable for minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Joseph also excels in using traditional open techniques when this is the best approach for you.

To find out more about options for colon surgery, call Oakland General Surgery today, or book an appointment online.