Why do a colectomy

This is done with small incisions. A tiny video camera is put into 1 of the incisions. This is done to help the surgeon see the colon. This surgery may be a choice for some cancers. People often have less pain and recover quicker because of the small incisions. A colectomy is usually done if colon cancer is in its earlier stages. If the cancer has grown past the early stages, a more extensive colectomy may be an option. Your healthcare provider will advise a colectomy if your medical team believes it will give you the best chance of survival or improve your quality of life.

All surgery has risks. Talk with your healthcare provider before the surgery if you have concerns. Risks of a colectomy include:. Before a colectomy you will need a complete evaluation by your medical team. This is done to stage your cancer and plan your surgery. This may include special X-rays, blood tests, and an EKG.

You may have a colonoscopy. This is a procedure to look inside your colon and rectum. It is done with a flexible, lighted scope and a tiny video camera. Your bowels must be empty for the surgery. You will need to make changes to your food and drink intake on the days before surgery. You may need to do bowel prep 1 to 2 days before the procedure. This may include a laxative and enemas to clean out the bowel. You may be told to only drink clear liquids or broth the day before surgery.

By the second or third day, you will probably be able to drink clear liquids. Thicker fluids and then soft foods will be added as your bowel begins to work again. After you go home, follow instructions on how to take care of yourself as you heal. Most people who have a large bowel resection recover fully. Even with a colostomy, most people are able to do the activities they were doing before their surgery. This includes most sports, travel, gardening, hiking, other outdoor activities, and most types of work.

If you have a long-term chronic condition, such as cancer, Crohn disease, or ulcerative colitis, you may need ongoing medical treatment. Ascending colectomy; Descending colectomy; Transverse colectomy; Right hemicolectomy; Left hemicolectomy; Low anterior resection; Sigmoid colectomy; Subtotal colectomy; Proctocolectomy; Colon resection; Laparoscopic colectomy; Colectomy - partial; Abdominal perineal resection.

Colon and rectum. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Surgical management of colon cancer. Current Surgical Therapy. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; Updated by: Debra G. Editorial team. Large bowel resection. Removal of the entire colon and the rectum is called a proctocolectomy.

Removal of all of the colon but not the rectum is called subtotal colectomy. Removal of part of the colon but not the rectum is called a partial colectomy. If you have laparoscopic surgery: The surgeon makes 3 to 5 small cuts incisions in your belly. A medical device called a laparoscope is inserted through one of the cuts.

The scope is a thin, lighted tube with a camera on the end. It lets the surgeon see inside your belly. Other medical instruments are inserted through the other cuts. A cut of about 2 to 3 inches 5 to 7. Your belly is filled with a harmless gas to expand it. But not everyone is a candidate for this procedure. Also, in some situations your operation may begin as a laparoscopic colectomy, but circumstances may force your surgical team to convert to an open colectomy. Once the colon has been repaired or removed, your surgeon will reconnect your digestive system to allow your body to expel waste.

Options may include:. Connecting your intestine to an opening created in your abdomen. The surgeon may attach your colon colostomy or small intestine ileostomy to an opening created in your abdomen. This allows waste to leave your body through the opening stoma. You may wear a bag on the outside of the stoma to collect stool. This can be permanent or temporary. Connecting your small intestine to your anus.

After removing both the colon and the rectum proctocolectomy , the surgeon may use a portion of your small intestine to create a pouch that is attached to your anus ileoanal anastomosis.

This allows you to expel waste normally, though you may have several watery bowel movements each day. After surgery you'll be taken to a recovery room to be monitored as the anesthesia wears off.

Then your health care team will take you to your hospital room to continue your recovery. You'll stay in the hospital until you regain bowel function. This may take a couple of days to a week. You may not be able to eat solid foods at first. You might receive liquid nutrition through a vein, often in your arm, and then transition to drinking clear liquids. As your intestines recover, you can eventually add solid foods.

If your surgery involved a colostomy or ileostomy to attach your intestine to the outside of your abdomen, you'll meet with an ostomy nurse who will show you how to care for your stoma.

The nurse will explain how to change the ostomy bag that will collect waste. Once you leave the hospital, expect a couple of weeks of recovery at home. You may feel weak at first, but eventually your strength will return. Ask your doctor when you can expect to get back to your normal routine.

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This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Partial colectomy Open pop-up dialog box Close. Partial colectomy During a partial colectomy, a surgeon removes the diseased portion of your colon and a small portion of surrounding healthy tissue. Colon and rectum Open pop-up dialog box Close.

Colon and rectum The colon, also called the large intestine, is a long, tube-like organ in your abdomen. Email address.

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Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Right hemicolectomy Open pop-up dialog box Close. Right hemicolectomy A colectomy procedure to remove one side of the colon is called hemicolectomy.