Colectomy

What’s a colectomy?

Being identified with a illness of the colon (additionally known as the bowel or massive gut) could be scary. To take cost of your well being, attempt to be taught as a lot as you may about your remedy choices.

One choice is colectomy. That is surgical procedure to take away the diseased or broken a part of your colon. Your healthcare supplier would possibly counsel a colectomy to deal with:

A colectomy could be finished in two methods:

• • Open colectomy. The surgeon makes a protracted, vertical minimize (incision) in your stomach (stomach).

• • Laparoscopic-assisted colectomy. The surgeon makes many small cuts within the pores and skin over your stomach. Then they put a tiny video digital camera into one of many cuts to see inside your physique. They use lengthy, skinny instruments put into the opposite cuts to carry out the surgical procedure. Folks usually have much less ache and get better sooner due to the small incisions.

Your healthcare workforce will counsel which choice is greatest for you. Be certain what to anticipate and the way your physique will work afterward.

Why would possibly I would like a colectomy?

You would possibly want a colostomy for a short while to let your colon heal after surgical procedure. You’ll have a second surgical procedure a couple of months later to reconnect the bowel. Nevertheless, relying in your analysis, the colostomy could also be everlasting.

When you might have a colectomy to deal with most cancers, the surgeon removes the a part of the colon that has most cancers in it. In addition they take away a small piece of the colon on both facet of the most cancers. They might additionally take away close by lymph nodes to test for most cancers.

What are the dangers of a colectomy?

Many individuals really feel scared or anxious earlier than surgical procedure. These emotions are regular. Speaking about your questions and issues may also help you are feeling higher. Your surgeon will speak with you about any dangers earlier than the surgical procedure. Some frequent dangers for a colectomy are:

• • Reactions to anesthesia

• • Pneumonia

• • Blood clots within the legs or lungs

• • Inner bleeding

• • An infection on the incision or contained in the stomach

• • Hernia

• • Scar tissue (adhesions) within the abdomen, which may block the intestines

• • Leaking the place the intestines are sewn collectively

• • Injury to close by organs

How do I prepare for a colectomy?

Earlier than a colectomy, your healthcare workforce will do assessments to be taught extra about your particular bowel illness or most cancers. These assessments are wanted to plan your surgical procedure. They might embody X-rays, scans, blood assessments, an electrocardiogram (ECG), and a colonoscopy.

A colonoscopy permits the surgeon to look inside your colon and rectum. It’s finished with a versatile, tubelike scope that has a tiny gentle and video digital camera on the tip.

Your supplier will more than likely inform you to arrange with the next:

• • Bowel prep. Your bowels should be empty earlier than the surgical procedure. You’ll want to vary what you eat and drink for a couple of days earlier than surgical procedure. You might have to do bowel prep one to 2 days earlier than surgical procedure, too. This will likely embody a laxative and enemas to wash out your bowels.

• • Fasting for surgical procedure. Be certain observe any directions you are given about not consuming or consuming earlier than surgical procedure.

• • Stopping sure medicines. You might have to cease taking a few of your medicines within the week earlier than the surgical procedure reminiscent of blood thinners. Make sure you inform your supplier about all of the medicines you’re taking. That features prescription and over-the-counter medicines, nutritional vitamins, herbs, dietary supplements, marijuana, and road medicine.

• • Stopping an infection. You might be requested to bathe with a particular cleaning soap earlier than your surgical procedure. You may also be given antibiotics to assist forestall an infection.

Any recommendation and guidelines out of your supplier will assist you might have a profitable surgical procedure and restoration. Ask questions on something you don’t perceive. Take notes and report visits along with your supplier that can assist you keep in mind all their directions.

What occurs throughout a colectomy?

Right here is what to anticipate throughout surgical procedure:

• • You will be given normal anesthesia for the surgical procedure. These medicines make you sleep and never really feel ache throughout surgical procedure.

• • Your healthcare workforce will join you to screens to look at your respiration, coronary heart charge, and blood stress.

• • The pores and skin over your stomach might be cleaned and hair there could also be clipped or shaved.

• • For an open colectomy, the surgeon will make a protracted minimize (incision) in your abdomen. For a laparoscopic-assisted colectomy, a number of small incisions might be made.

• • The surgeon will take away the diseased a part of your colon.

• • The surgeon could sew collectively the 2 open ends of the colon. Or they’ll make a gap to the skin of your physique (stoma).

• • In case you have most cancers, the surgeon could take away lymph nodes close to it. Surgeons usually take out a minimum of 12 of those lymph nodes.

• • As soon as the surgical procedure is completed, the surgeon will shut the incision.

What occurs after a colectomy?

You’ll get up within the restoration room. You’ll keep there till you are totally awake, alert, and respiration properly. You will be hooked as much as machines that watch your important indicators (reminiscent of your coronary heart charge and blood stress). Then you definately’ll go to a hospital room. Your healthcare workforce will test in to see the way you’re feeling as you get better. You will doubtless be within the hospital for 3 to 7 days.

You will have to take ache drugs for a number of days to manage your ache. Managing ache at this stage is necessary in an effort to cough, take deep breaths, and get off the bed a bit simpler as you get better.

You might obtain some liquids as your colon begins to work once more. Your healthcare workforce will let when you may eat stable meals once more. You will have to observe a low-residue, low-fiber weight loss plan for a couple of weeks to lower the quantity of stool passing via your bowel because it heals. A dietitian will speak with you about what to eat and what to keep away from.

In case you have a colostomy, an ostomy nurse will educate you methods to maintain your stoma.

Your supplier will maintain an in depth eye on you as you heal within the hospital. Earlier than you allow, ensure you know what issues or uncomfortable side effects to look at for. Ask questions on something that issues you.

Your supplier will schedule follow-up appointments to test in your progress.

Subsequent steps

Earlier than you conform to the check or process ensure you know:

• • The title of the check or process

• • The explanation you’re having the check or process

• • What outcomes to anticipate and what they imply

• • The dangers and advantages of the check or process

• • What the potential uncomfortable side effects or issues are

• • When and the place you’re to have the check or process

• • Who will do the check or process and what that individual’s {qualifications} are

• • What would occur in case you didn’t have the check or process

• • Any different assessments or procedures to consider

• • When and the way you’ll get the outcomes

• • Who to name after the check or process you probably have questions or issues

• • How a lot you’ll have to pay for the check or process