Bowel Resection

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 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.

Procedure:

Laparoscopic resection: The surgeon makes two to four small cuts () on the belly. They insert a thin tube with a tiny camera into one incision. This is called a laparoscope. It sends a picture to a monitor. The surgeon uses it to see inside the abdomen. They then pass small, special surgical tools through the other incisions to remove part of the intestine.