Large & small bowel surgery
A bowel resection is a surgery to remove any part of the bowel. This includes the small intestine, large intestine, or rectum. Doctors use it to treat diseases and blockages of the large intestine (colon).
Bowel diseases and conditions can put your life at risk. They can also keep the colon or rectum from working as they should. This causes symptoms like pain and discomfort.
Your doctor may recommend a bowel resection for one of the following reasons:
- Cancer: The amount of bowel they remove depends on the size and location of the cancer. The surgeon will take out nearby lymph nodes, too.
- Diverticulitis: You may need surgery for complications, such as severe infection or perforation
- Blockage: When your intestine becomes blocked, food and liquid can’t pass. This can cut off the blood supply, causing tissue to die.
- Severe bleeding: If doctors can’t stop a bowel bleed, they may need to remove that section of the intestine.