Colorectal Surgery

Colorectal surgery at Summit Health treats illnesses and injuries of the colon, rectum, and anus. Our highly qualified surgeon has expertise in open, laparoscopic, and colonoscopy surgery.

You can now schedule a screening colonoscopy without a pre-procedure visit. Click here to learn more.

Colon And Colorectal Surgery (Such as Colectomy)

Whenever possible, minimally invasive surgery is used to treat diseases and conditions of the bowel; however, more invasive procedures such as ostomies are sometimes used to treat inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer.

Severity of the disease or condition, patient history, current overall health, level of pain, diagnostic results, and lifestyle are carefully considered when determining which procedure is appropriate for the patient.

• Laparoscopic or colonoscopy surgery treats many diseases of the intestinal tract, including cancer. It often is called minimally invasive surgery because it requires small (typically up to a half inch) incisions. Small tubes containing a video camera and surgical tools are inserted through the incisions. The surgeon then uses the image from the video camera inside the body to perform the procedure. Patients who have laparoscopic procedures often have fewer complications, a shorter hospital stay, less postoperative pain and scarring, and a faster return to normal activities than those who have open surgical procedures. Despite its advantages, laparoscopic surgery cannot be performed on all patients
• Strictureplasty widens rather than shortens the intestine and is used to treat patients with Crohn's disease
• Ostomy surgery involves creating an opening from the inside to the outside of the body to remove feces and urine. For example, a colostomy connects a section of the large intestine to an opening (stoma) in the abdominal wall that allows feces to be carried out of the body and deposited in a disposable pouch
• Ileostomyor colectomy surgery involves removing the colon, rectum, and anus, with the lower end of the small intestine (ileum) used for the stoma. Most colostomies and ileostomies are permanent; however, some patients can have a temporary colostomy to protect injured or diseased sections of the large intestine until it heals
• Ileonanal anastomosis involves creating an artificial rectum

Diagnostic Procedures (Such as Colonoscopy)

Diagnostic procedures help determine the condition of the intestinal tract, including the extent and severity of disease, presence of tumors, and perforations in the bowel wall.

• Colonoscopy allows a surgeon to examine the entire intestinal tract. A sedative is usually given to patients who have the procedure
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy involves a flexible tube with a miniature camera that is inserted through the rectum to examine the lining of the rectum and lower one-third of the intestinal tract (the sigmoid colon). The sigmoidoscope also can be used to remove polyps and diseased tissue
• Lower gastrointestinal (GI) series involves taking X-rays of the colon and rectum to identify ulcers, cysts, polyps, pouches in the intestine (diverticuli), and cancer
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used before and during colon surgery to determine the part of the colon that must be removed to eliminate diseased tissue. MRI also can help surgeons determine which patients will most benefit from chemotherapy and radiation