What is Colorectal Resection?

A colorectal resection is a surgery to remove a section of the large intestine. It is done to remove injured or diseased parts of the colon.

This surgery is performed to treat a variety of conditions, including the following:

• Colorectal cancer
• Diverticular disease —small pouches form in the wall of the colon
• Inflammatory intestinal diseases (eg, colitis , Crohn’s disease )
• Intestinal blockage
• Trauma to the intestine
• Precancerous polyps, especially those seen in familial polyposis
• A hole in the bowel wall or dead piece of bowel
• Bleeding from the colon

For colon cancer, the goal is to remove all of the cancer. If you have a precancerous condition, then you may have prevented the development of cancer. If you had surgery due to other conditions, a successful operation will alleviate or improve your symptoms.

Possible Complications

If you are planning to have a resection, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Damage to other organs or structures

• Infection

• Bleeding

• Hernia forming at the incision site

• Blood clots

• Complications from general anesthesia

• Intestinal obstruction due to development of scar tissue

Some factors that may increase the risk of complications include:

• Having neurological, heart, or lung conditions
• Age: older than 70 years
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Previous abdominal surgery or radiation therapy
• Infection
• Diabetes

Call Your Doctor

If any of the following occur, call your doctor:

• Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, warmth, drainage,...