Merrie, Arend

Definitions

Colorectal surgery is used to repair damage to the colon, rectum and anus. Surgery is a vital treatment option for colorectal cancer, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and some cases ofdiverticulitis, often resulting in reconstruction of the intestinal tract. Other bowel conditions that may require surgery to a lesser extent include haemorrhoids, anal fissures (tears in the lining of the anus), bowel incontinence, and rectal prolapse. Most of these surgeries repair tears, remove blockages, or tighten sphincter muscles. Surgery is also sometimes used to treat pelvic floor disorders, such as perineal hernia and rectocele (bulging of the rectum towards the vagina). Some colorectal conditions or diseases may be treated with minimally invasive surgery, while others will require more complex procedures.moreLaparoscopic surgery, also known as ‘keyhole surgery’, is carried out with the aid of a camera inserted into the abdomen or pelvis. A small incision is made in the abdominal wall through which alaparoscope, a flexible lighted tube with a camera attached, is inserted so that structures within the abdomen and pelvis can be examined. The abdominal cavity is made more visible by distending it with an absorbable gas, usually carbon dioxide. A number of major and minor surgeries may be carried out. A variety of tubes and long, narrow instruments can be inserted through the same incision in the skin, or via other small incisions, facilitating a number of procedures without the need for a large surgical incision. The surgeon uses these instruments to manipulate, cut and sew tissue. A number of procedures can be performed laparoscopically, including gallbladder removal (laparoscopic cholecystectomy), oesophageal surgery (laparoscopic fundoplication), colon surgery (laparoscopic colectomy), and surgery on the stomach and spleen. Most patients receive general anaesthetic during the procedure.more