Laparoscopic colon resection.
It is a technique that is known as laparoscopic resection of the colon of minimal invasión, which let the surgeons perform many common colon procedures trough small incisions.
INFORMATION FOR THE PATIENT FROM HIS (HER) SURGEON AND SAGES
Each year more than six hundred thousand surgical procedures are performed in the United States in order to treat diverse colon diseases. Even the surgery is not a cure, it is often the best way to prevent the disease to be spread, and to relieve the pain and discomfort.
ABOUT THE TRADITIONAL SURGERY OF COLON…
Each year more than six hundred thousand surgical procedures are performed in the United States in order to treat diverse colon diseases. Even the surgery is not a cure, it is often the best way to prevent the disease to be spread, and to relieve the pain and discomfort.
Frequently patients who have a surgery of colon have to deal with a long and difficult recuperation, because the “open” traditional procedures are highly invasive. In most of the cases the surgeons have to make a long incision. Such surgery requires an average hospital staying of one week or more, and generally, a six week recovery.
WHAT IS THE COLON?
The colon is the large intestine; is the lower portion of your digestive tract. The intestine is a large and tubular organ which consists in small intestine, colon (large intestine) and rectum, that is to say the final portion of the colon. After eating food the digestion of it begins in the stomach and then passes to the small intestine where it absorbs the nutritive part of the food. The waste that are left pass to the rectum and the organism expel them. The colon and rectum absorb water and retain the waste until you are ready to expel them.
WHAT IS THE LAPAROSCOPIC RESECTION OF THE COLON?
It is a technique that is known as laparoscopic resection of the colon of minimal invasión, which let the surgeons perform many common colon procedures trough small incisions. Depending on what type of procedure may be patients can leave the hospital in few days, and get back to their normal activities more quickly than the patients who recover from an open surgery.
Most of the laparoscopic resections of colon surgeons proceed through four or five small openings (each one of approximately a quarter of inch) while watching a maginified image of the patient’s internal organs in a television screen. In some cases, it is possible that one of the small openings be lengthen until measuring to two or three inches in order to complete the procedure.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF THE LAPAROSCOPIC RESECTION OF COLON?
Results may vary according to the procedure to be used and the general condition of the patient. The common advantages are:
Less post surgical pain
It shortens the hospital staying
It may result in a quickly return to a solid diet.
It may result in a quickly return to the intestinal function.
A quickly return to normal activities
Better cosmetic results.
ARE YOU A CANDIDATE TO A LAPAROSCOPIC RESECTION OF COLON?
Even the laparoscopic resection of colon presents a lot of benefits it is possible that it is not suitable for some patients. Get a deep medical evaluation from an expert surgeon in laparoscopic resection of colon together with your family doctor, in order to find out whether such technique is the more appropriate for you.
WHAT PREPARATION IS REQUIRED?
Tests in advanced:
Most colon diseases are diagnosed through one or two tests: a colonoscopy or barium enema. A colonoscopy is a soft and flexible tube which thickness looks like the index finger that is inserted in the anus, and then passes through the large intestine. A barium enema is a special x-ray where a white liquid, that looks like a “smoothie with milk”, is pour to the rectum and by using light pressure it is pushed through the large intestine. These tests allow the surgeon to look inside the colon. Sometimes a computed tomography of the abdomen is requested. It is possible that other tests such as blood analysis, electrocardiogram or x-ray of thorax may be requested before the surgery.
Preparation for the surgery:
The presurgical preparation includes blood analysis, medical evaluation, thorax x-ray and electrocardiogram, depending on the age and medical condition.
After the surgeon reviews with you the risks and potential benefits of the surgery, it will be necessary you giving him a written authorization so that the surgery es performed.
It is possible that a blood transfussion and/or blood products may be necessary, depending on your condition.
It is recommended that you take a shower the night before or in the morning of the surgery.
The rectus and colon must be completely evacuated after the surgery. Generally, the patient has to drink a special solution to clean the intestine. It is possible that you will keep a liquid diet for several days, and to take laxative and to have enemas before the surgery.
It is common that antibiotics may be orally prescribed. Your surgeon or any of his employees will give you instructions as of the cleaning routine you should do.
Follow your surgeon’s instructions to the letter. If it is not possible for you to drink the preparation or the antibiotics get in touch with your surgeon.
If you do not complete the preparation it is possible that you having the surgery to be dangerous, and maybe it will be necessary to reprogram it.
You do not have to eat nor drink anything after midnight of the night before the surgery, excepting the medications your surgeon has told you to have, the morning of the surgery, with a sip of water.
Medicines such as aspirin, anti-coagulants, anti-inflamatories (arthritis medicine) vitamin E have to be suspended in a provisional way, during several days and until one week before the surgery.
Diet medication or St. John’s Wort should not be taken during the two weeks prior to the surgery.
Stop smoking and make the necessary arragements for any help that you may need at home.
HOW THE LAPAROSCOPIC RESECTION OF COLON IS PERFORMED?
The “laparoscopic” surgery describes the techniques that the surgeon uses to access the internal operative field.
Most of the colon laparoscopic procedures begin the same way. By means of a cannula (a narrow tubular instrument), the surgeon accesses to the abdomen. A laparoscopy (a tiny telescope connected to a video camera) is inserted through the mentioned cannula, and let the surgeon to get a magnified view of the internal organs of the patient in a television screen. Several additional cannulas are inserted in order to let the surgeon working inside and removing part of the colon. The entirety of the procedure can be completed through cannulas, or by extending one of the small incisions for the cannulas.
WHAT HAPPENS IF THE SURGERY CAN NOT BE PERFORMED OR COMPLETED BY LAPAROSCOPIC MEANS?
In some patients the laparoscopic method can not be performed. Among the factors that can increase the possibility to choose for the “open” procedure, or to turn it into said procedure, include:
Obesity.
A history of prior abdominal surgery that caused dense scar tissue.
Impossibility of visualizing the organs.
Bleeding problems during the surgery.
Big tumors.
The decision of performing the procedure into an “open pit” procedure is determined by the criteria of the surgeon, either before or during the surgery itself. When the surgeon feels that it is safer to turn the laparoscopic procedure into an open one it is not about the complication but about a sensible surgical decision. The decision of turning it into an open procedure is strictly based in the safety of the patient.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER THE SURGERY?
It is important that you follow your doctor’s instructions after the surgery. Even some persons feel better within a few days, remember that your organism needs time to heal.
You are ecouraged to get up from bed the day after the surgery, and to walk. This will help reducing muscle pains.
It is probable that you can get back to your normal activities after one or two weeks. Among said ctivities are included: getting showers, driving the car, climbing stairs, getting back to work and having intercourse.
Call and ask for a medical control appointment before the end of the two weeks after the surgery.
WHAT COMPLICATIONS MAY OCCUR?
These complications include:
Bleeding
Infection
A filtration where the colon reconnection was performed.
Injuries to adjacent organs such as small intestine, urethra or bladder.
Blood clots to the lungs.It is important that you recognize early signs of possible complications. Get in touch with your surgeon if you notice a severe abdominal pain, fever, shivers or rectal bleeding.
WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR
Be sure to call your doctor or surgeon if any of the following symptoms are presented:
Fever above 101°F (39°C) does not drop.
Rectal bleeding.
Abdominal swelling that goes up.
Pain that is not relieved with medications.
Nausea or persistent vomits
Shivers.
Persistent caughing or short of breath
Purulent drainage (pus) from any incision
Redness around any of the incisions that gets worst or gets bigger.
Impossibility to eat or to drink liquids.
This brochure does not pretend to replace the conversation with your surgeon over the necessity of getting an appendicectomy. If you have any question reffered to your necessity of getting an Laparoscopic colon resection, its alternatives, the invoicing or the covering of the insurance, or about the training and experience of your surgeon, do not hesitate in asking such surgeon or the personnel of the clinic about it. If you have questions over the surgery or the subsequent control, we ask you to talk about such subjects with your surgeon before or after the surgery.
