Laparoscopic Colectomy: Process & Benefits

A colectomy is a form of surgery to remove part or all of the large intestine. This specific operation is indicated for the surgical treatment of a wide range of benign and cancerous diseases of the colon. There are two ways to perform the procedure, open surgery and laparoscopic colectomy. The laparoscopic method is widely preferred because of its minimally invasive nature and the improved postoperative recovery it offers.

What conditions are treated with colectomy?

Colectomy is the treatment of choice for a number of different conditions involving the colon. These may include conditions that cannot be treated with medication, while it is the treatment of choice for colon cancer symptoms. Removing the affected part helps ensure the rest of the GI tract is functioning properly.

Among the benign, i.e. non-cancerous, conditions treated with colectomy are uncontrolled bleeding or bowel dysmotility, inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, bowel obstruction, diverticulitis and rectal prolapse.

Cancers or precancerous conditions requiring colectomy surgery include large polyps not amenable to colonoscopic resection, colon cancer, and hereditary colon cancer syndromes such as familial adenomatous polyposis.

How is laparoscopic colectomy performed?

Laparoscopic surgery is now the standard treatment of choice over open surgery. A laparoscopic colectomy is a form of minimally invasive surgical technique that involves using a laparoscope and making several tiny incisions in the abdomen. The laparoscope, a long, narrow tube-like instrument is inserted through one of the incisions. This instrument has a small camera and a light source at its end. This offers the surgeon the necessary visibility inside the abdomen to perform the procedure remotely. The image is projected on a high-definition screen, which allows the surgeon to evaluate his manipulations.

Special surgical instruments are inserted through the other incisions to cut the diseased part of the colon from the surrounding tissues. The large intestine is then removed through a small incision in the abdomen. After the diseased part of the large intestine is removed, the remaining parts of the organ are connected together. If a large part of the large intestine is removed and reattachment is not possible, an opening is created on the outside of the body through which the faeces exit and are collected in a special bag. This procedure is called a colostomy. If both the colon and rectum are removed, the surgeon may join a section of the small intestine to the anus, a procedure called an ileoanal anastomosis.

In the case of a colectomy to treat colon cancer, the part of the colon where the tumor is located is resected, and at the same time an extensive lymph node cleansing is performed. Thus, the possibility of achieving the optimal oncological result is provided, which offers the patient the maximum cure rates.

What are the benefits of laparoscopic colectomy?

Laparoscopic colectomy is a minimally invasive surgical technique to remove part or the entire colon without the need for large incisions. In this way, the reduction of both the length of stay in the hospital after the operation and the postoperative pain is achieved. The patient can return more quickly to his daily activities and to the consumption of solid foods. The patient is mobilized the same day, while the aesthetic result is excellent due to the small size of the incisions. Finally, the risk of complications after surgery, such as bleeding or postoperative hernia, is minimized.