Colon surgery, also known as a colectomy, is a surgery that removes all or part of the colon. More than 600,000 are performed in the U.S. every year, and there can be many reasons why a patient requires one.
The colon is a long, tube-like organ that sits at the end of your digestive tract. It is responsible for absorbing any water left from the digestive process, and holds any leftover waste, before moving it into the rectum for expulsion.
Conventional colon surgery has been performed with great success for many years. However, the medical field has seen a large number of innovations over the last few decades, including the development of laparoscopic surgeries.
Today, it is possible to have many different surgeries performed laparoscopically, including colon surgery.
Why is colon surgery necessary?
Colon surgery may be recommended to a patient for a number of different reasons. Some of the most common underlying conditions requiring colon surgery include:
- Inflammatory bowel disease conditions such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
- Polyps
- Bowel obstruction
- Diverticulitis
- Colorectal cancer
- Colon surgery is also sometimes recommended as a preventative surgery, particularly if the patient is at very high risk of developing colon cancer.
What is laparoscopic surgery?
Laparoscopic surgery, also sometimes known as keyhole surgery, is a minimally invasive technique that uses a tool known as a laparoscope to visualize and perform medical procedures. A laparoscope is a long, fine cable which has a high-resolution camera and high-intensity light at the end. As the cable passes through the body, the camera sends images to an external video monitor. This allows the surgeon to see what is happening internally without needing to make a large incision and open up the patient.
The benefits of laparoscopic colon surgery
An increasing number of patients are choosing laparoscopic colon surgery over conventional methods because of its many benefits. Some of these include:
Faster recovery with laparoscopic colon surgery
Laparoscopic surgery usually requires several smaller incisions to be made, as opposed to one large one. In conventional colon surgery, the incision is usually between six and twelve inches in length.
- The larger a wound, the longer it takes to heal. As such, surgery that involves several smaller incisions is normally faster and easier to heal than a surgery that requires one larger wound. This usually means:
- a shorter stay in hospital following your surgery
- less reliance on pain medications
- a faster return to your usual day to day activities
- a better psychological recovery
Reduced risk of infection and complications
Laparoscopic surgery wounds are also much less prone to infection and complications, due to being much smaller, and there being less internal tissue exposed.
Smaller scar with laparoscopic colon surgery
Although scars mark our journey through life, not everyone is a fan of them. Choosing laparoscopic surgery means you will be left with a couple of very minor scars, instead of one large one.
Am I a candidate for laparoscopic colon surgery?
To establish whether you are a good candidate for laparoscopic colon surgery, it will be necessary for you to attend a consultation appointment. The experienced laparoscopic surgeons at Laparoscopic Surgical Center of New York can help determine which is the right choice of treatment for your requirements. Call our Manhattan laparoscopic surgery center today at 646-859-1400.
