A colon resection is surgery to remove part or all of the colon. The colon, also called the large bowel, is part of the digestive system.
A colon resection may be done to treat problems such as:
Plan for your care and recovery after the operation. Find someone to drive you home from the hospital. Allow for time to rest. Try to find people to help you with your day-to-day duties while you recover.
Follow your healthcare provider's instructions about not smoking before and after the procedure. Smokers heal more slowly after surgery. They are also more likely to have breathing problems during surgery. For these reasons, if you are a smoker, you should quit at least 2 weeks before the procedure. It is best to quit 6 to 8 weeks before surgery.
Give your surgeon a list of your current medicines. If you need a minor pain reliever before surgery, choose acetaminophen (Tylenol). Aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen can cause extra bleeding during surgery. If you are taking daily aspirin for a medical condition, ask your provider if you need to stop taking it before your surgery.
The night before the surgery you will be put on a liquid diet. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight and the morning before the procedure. Do not even drink coffee, tea, or water.
Before your surgery you will need to clean out your colon. There are several ways to do this. For example:
Follow any other instructions your healthcare provider gives you.
You will be given a general anesthetic. A general anesthetic will relax your muscles and put you to sleep. It will prevent you from feeling pain during the operation.
Your surgeon will perform either open surgery or laparoscopic surgery.
Your surgeon will cut out the part of the colon that is diseased, and then sew the remaining pieces of the colon back together. The cut made in your skin and abdomen will be closed with sutures (stitches) and staples.
After surgery, you will be given medicines to help relieve pain after the surgery. You will be checked to see when your intestines begin to work again. It usually takes 1 to 2 days after surgery. Your caregivers will ask if you have passed gas or had a bowel movement, which is a sign that the intestines are working. This means you can begin to eat--liquids at first, then soft foods.
Most people stay 3 to 7 days in the hospital after the surgery (3 to 5 for a laparoscopic surgery and 5 to 7 for an open surgery). During this time you will be given instructions for keeping your surgical area clean. You will also learn how to apply and change the bandages.
When you are ready to go home, you will be given instructions on:
During the first 2 weeks after the operation, you will be encouraged to do light activity, such as walking. Avoid all heavy activity for the first 6 weeks, including lifting. After that time, you may gradually do heavier work, according to your provider's instructions.
Call your provider if:
Call during office hours if: