Sunday, May 20, 2018

Concepts On Colon And Rectal Surgery Long Island Patients May Find Useful

By Rebecca Kennedy


The lower part of the digestive tract is made of the colon, the rectum, anal canal and the anus at the very end. A variety of conditions affect this area including tumors, infections, physical trauma and congenital diseases among others. Although some colorectal illnesses may be treated with drugs, the mainstay treatment for most of them is surgical. These are some of the concepts on colon and rectal surgery Long Island patients may find useful.

The blood vessels in the colorectal region can get too swollen that they cause pain to the individual. This condition is referred to as hemorrhoids. While the exact cause is unknown, risk factors are known. These include obesity, pregnancy, anal sex and constipation. A diet deficient in high fiber greatly contributes to constipation and straining.

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.

Alternatively, the doctor can use sclerotherapy where a chemical is infused into the swollen vessel to reduce it in size. Coagulation is another way to stop bleeding whereby techniques such as laser are used to cause shriveling of the swellings. Even though these minor procedures are cheaper and more convenient, the risk of recurrence is higher.

Sometimes, the swellings may be impossible to remove in the outpatient department because of how large they are. Surgical removal(hemorrhoidectomy) is the alternative in this case. This almost entirely prevents occurrence of the same in the future. The patient, however, may get an infection in the urinary system because of its close association with the rectum.

Colorectal surgery is also indicated for patients with cancer involving the colon and rectum in a procedure technically referred to as resection and anastomosis. In this process, the abnormal tissue is cut off and the normal parts put together again. When the sphincters that control defecation are also affected with cancer, they also have to be done away with. In this case, the patient has to be counselled on the fact that they will have to use a colostomy bag for the rest of their life.

In summary, it is important for the patient to be well informed on all the risks related with surgery. These include anesthetic complications such as respiratory distress and cardiovascular collapse. Surrounding structures may be accidentally injured in the process of removing abnormal tissues. All in all, the benefits of surgery for colorectal cancer usually outweigh the risks.




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