Basic Principles On Colon And Rectal Surgery Long Island Residents May Benefit From

By Rebecca Kennedy


The colon and rectum are located at the tail end of the alimentary canal just before the anal opening. Disease in this region can be as a result of an infection, direct physical injury, malignancy and birth anomalies among others. Treatment for most of these conditions is surgical although a few can be managed conservatively. Subsequent sections in this article will discuss some facts on colon and rectal surgery Long Island patients may find beneficial.

One of the common conditions in the colorectal region is called hemorrhoids. Sometimes, blood vessels in the rectum may get swollen without any reason at all. However, certain factors may predispose one to getting hemorrhoids. Prolonged straining on defecation is one these factors. This is usually as a result of low fiber diet. Pregnancy, obesity and anal sex are additional risk factors.

Hemorrhoids are primarily treated using conservative methods. One is encouraged to enrich their foods with high fibre content. In addition, individuals are advised to stay hydrated by drinking adequate amounts of water. Daily saline baths are great in enabling quick healing of hemorrhoids. Pain and inflammation can be management using analgesics or use of ice packs. However, if conservative treatment fails or if the hemorrhoids are too advanced, surgery is the main option.

General anaesthesia is not necessarily needed when removing hemorrhoids for an outpatient case. One of the techniques used in the outpatient center is what is termed rubber band ligation. In this case, the swollen part of the vessel gets ligated using a rubber band which compresses the area for a period of time.

Sclerotherapy is another way in which the hemorrhoids can be removed if the patient would like to walk out of the hospital the same day although they tend to recur with this form of treatment. It is as simple as injecting a chemical directly into the hemorrhoid. The composition of the chemical makes it possible for the swelling to subside.

Hemorrhoidectomy, which simply means surgical removal of hemorrhoids, is the method of choice for very large swellings. The patient can be put on either regional or general anesthesia depending on how complicated the case is. The good thing about surgery is that it greatly lowers the rate of recurrence. However, the patient is at risk of getting urinary tract infections.

Presence of a tumor in the colorectal region definitely calls for surgery. Colorectal cancer usually affects the elderly but this is not to say that it cannot affect the young population. Predisposing factors include family history of the same, personal history of polyps, smoking and obesity. Surgery is only indicated if disease that has not spread to other organs. It aims at removing the diseased section and uniting the normal ends to function again. A permanent colostomy may have to be created in cases where cancer affects the anal sphincters.

The patient needs to be informed about the risks involved in colorectal surgery before the procedure is performed. If under general anaesthesia, the patient is at risk of aspiration, the heart and vessels may also collapse if not closely monitored and healthy structures may get injured in the process of operation. Regardless, the benefits are often more than the risks.




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