Colon Cancer Surgery
Surgery is usually the most recommended course to take in case of colon cancer. This disease is closely associated with rectal cancer and the two have similar methods for treatment.
Types of Colon Cancer Surgery
A segmental resection, more commonly known as an open colectomy, is the most often employed method of dealing with early stage tumours. The malignant tissue is removed along with nearby lymph nodes and parts of normal colon from both sides of it. After that, the two ends are sown back together. This procedure usually requires a fourth or a third of the colon to be removed, but the size can vary depending on the size of the tumour. It is recommended to extract as many lymph nodes as possible along with the damaged tissue.
A colostomy is a colon cancer surgery procedure in which an incision is made in the stomach in order to get rid of body waste. It isn’t a regular approach for curing cancer, but it is sometimes used to allow the colon to heal. It is also similar to another operation used for the same purpose knows as an ileostomy. Both procedures are usually temporary and are inverted after a short time period. In some cases, though, they have been made permanent.
A laparoscopic-assisted colectomy differs from a normal one slightly. Instead of one long incision across the abdomen, the surgeon makes several smaller ones. Special instruments are used in the openings to remove parts of the colon along with the lymph nodes. This approach is sometimes preferred because even though it has a similar success rate the patient usually recovers much faster. However, it is a very difficult form of colon cancer surgery and requires a skilled surgeon with a lot of experience.
There are certain medical procedures that can be performed using a colonoscope. This is the same long, flexible tube that is used in colonoscopies. It can be used to remove polyps and stage 0 and early stage I tumours. In order for the colonoscope to be effective the diseased tissue must be present only on the surface of the colon lining. In these cases the tissue can be removed without the need to cut into the abdomen.
A less frequently used procedure is the polypectomy. This involves cutting out across the base of the polyp's stalk, the area that looks like the stem of a mushroom.
Side Effects of Colon Cancer Surgery
Side effects are to be expected with such a complex surgery. They are going to be influenced by the state of general health of the patient before the operation. Some pain post-op is to be expected, but it can be managed using prescription medicine. Eating problems can also occur, though they will get usually better within a few days of colon cancer surgery.
More severe problems can include bleeding, blood clots in the legs and damage to nearby organs. Scar tissue around the bowel resulting from the operation can cause organs or tissues to stick together. This can result in the bowel becoming blocked. On rare occasions the new connections between the intestines can rupture and leak.