Understanding Colorectal Resection Surgery

What You Need to Know About Colorectal Resection

Your large intestine—made up of the colon, rectum, and anal canal—is responsible for reabsorbing water and minerals back into your body while eliminating food waste. Playing such an essential role in your digestive system, health conditions affecting any part of the large intestine can negatively affect your quality of life and can even become life-threatening. More often than not, your doctor will recommend that you have a colorectal resection.

The health experts at St. John’s Health are here to outline the different types of colorectal resectioning procedures that can be used to remedy diseases and issues affecting the large intestine.

What is Colorectal Resection Surgery Used to Treat?

The most common condition affecting the large intestine that may require a colorectal resection procedure is colorectal cancer. Other conditions that may require colorectal resection include:

• Crohn’s disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Diverticulitis
• Obstructions of the bowels
• Colon cancer

What is Colorectal Resection Surgery?

When it comes to colorectal resectioning procedures, the goal is to remove the areas of the large intestine that are damaged or affected by disease—which can include removing nearby lymph nodes. Once this diseased section is removed, the two healthy parts of the large intestine may be reattached.

Types of Colorectal Resection Procedures

Open Surgery

Open surgery is a more traditional method that requires a surgeon to make a 6 to 8” incision in the abdomen. This procedure is done using hand-held tools.

Laparoscopic Surgery

Laparoscopic colorectal resection is considered minimally invasive as it requires a surgeon to make 3 to 5 small incisions in the abdomen where a device called a laparoscope is then inserted into one of the openings.

The laparoscope allows the surgeon to see inside your abdomen to examine your organs for signs of damage. Special long-handled tools are used to perform this procedure as the surgeon views the images from the laparoscope on a screen.

Robot-Assisted Surgery

Like laparoscopic methods, robot-assisted colorectal resection procedures are minimally invasive. This procedure also uses several small incisions and a camera to help the surgeon see inside the body with a 3D magnified image displayed on a screen.

However, with robot-assisted surgery, the surgeon is performing the procedure from a console across the room where they are able to use a robot to utilize their surgical instruments. Some of the many benefits of this type of colorectal resectioning include:

• Smaller incisions
• More precision
• Decreased risk of infection
• Shorter hospital stays
• Faster recovery times

Colorectal Resection Surgery in Jackson, Wilson, and Teton County

At St. John's Health, we are dedicated to providing ever-advancing individualized care. Our highly skilled surgeons use state-of-the-art robotics to assist with various surgeries in Jackson, WY. Robotics allows surgeons to be more precise, and carry out minimally invasive procedures that help patients to feel better, faster.

Talk to your surgical care team today to discuss your robot-assisted surgery options at St. John's Health.