Intestinal
Resection Surgery of the Large and Small Intestines
The intestines
in our body are made up of small intestines (or the small bowel) and the
large intestines (or the large bowel). Intestinal resection is the removal
of the small or large bowel surgically when they are diseased or cause
any obstruction.
Small Bowel or Intestine Resection
The small intestine assimilates and absorbs the nutrients from the foods
we take through the process of digestion.
The intestinal
resection surgery is performed for the following reasons:
When there
is ulcers and bleeding due to the inflammation of the small intestine
Obstruction
in the intestine due to scar tissue or birth defect
Non-cancerous
tumors and pre cancerous lumps
Cancer
development
Accidental
injury to the small intestine
The surgeries done are of two types –open or the conventional type
of surgery and the minimum invasive or the laparoscopic surgery. Both
the procedures are performed with general anesthesia.
In the open surgery six inches cut is made in the abdominal area and the
surgeon detects the affected or diseased area. The diseased part is removed
and the ends are fastened to close them. The healthy intestines are stapled
together by the surgeon.
When there is no healthy, intestine left the surgeon makes an opening
called the stoma and the small intestine is attached to the outer wall
of the belly. The stool passed goes through the stoma and is collected
in the outer bag connected. This process called ileostomy can be temporary
or permanent.
The laparoscopic surgery or the keyhole surgery has five small incisions
in the lower part of your stomach where the laparoscope, camera and other
surgical equipments are inserted to perform the surgery.
Carbon dioxide gas is filled for the stomach to expand which gives the
surgeon clear picture of the inside. Like the open surgery if the surgeon
does not find any healthy intestine, the process of ileostomy is opted.
Large Bowel or Large Intestine Resection
The large intestine resections are of two types. The first type is the
process of proctocolectomy where the whole colon and rectum is removed.
The second type is called the subtotal colcectomy where the entire or
a part of the colon is removed and the rectum stays intact.
The large intestine is removed if a person suffers from colon cancer,
diverticular disease, block in the intestine due to scar tissue, severe
gastrointestinal bleeding, injury that has caused damage to the large
bowel, twisting of the bowel, ulcerative colititis, or precancerous tumors.
The surgeries done for the large intestines are similar to that of the
small intestine resection surgery. The patient is given general anesthesia
and the surgery is either open or laparoscopic. Depending on the type
of surgery, the surgeon makes the cut in the open surgery and small incisions
in laparoscopic procedure.
When the diseased part is removed from the large intestine, the surgeon
sews up the healthy ends of the bowel, which is called anastomosis. In
the open surgery, the surgeon staples the healthy ends but if healthy
large intestine is not left then the surgeon has to perform colostomy.
Like all other surgeries, this intestinal resection surgery has its own
risks. Reactions to the drugs, bleeding, damage to the nearby organs,
breathing problems, anastomotic leaks are some of them.
Patients can discuss with the surgeon the potential risks and complications
of the surgery before deciding for the intestinal surgery.
