MayoClinic.com Feature Focuses on Colectomy Operations

Monday, September 29, 2008

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Colectomy is a surgical procedure to remove all or part of the individual's colon. Also called the large intestine, the colon is a long tubelike organ at the end of the digestive system.

A new feature on Mayo Clinic.com highlights the various types of colectomy operations. Colectomy is used to treat and prevent diseases and conditions that affect the colon, such as:

• Bowel obstruction. A blocked bowel (colon) is an emergency that may require total or partial colectomy.
• Bowel perforation. A torn colon also is an emergency that may require colectomy.
• Colon cancer. Early stage cancers may require that only a small section of the colon be removed during colectomy. Cancers at a later stage may require more extensive removal of the colon.
• Crohn's disease. If medications aren't helping, removing the affected part of a colon may offer temporary relief from signs and symptoms.
• Ulcerative colitis. Physicians may recommend total colectomy if medications aren't helping to control symptoms.
• Preventive surgery. Individuals who have a very high risk of colon cancer due to multiple precancerous colon polyps might choose to undergo total colectomy to prevent cancer. Colectomy also may be an option for people with inherited genetic conditions that increase colon cancer risk, such as familial adenomatous polyposis or Lynch syndrome.

Colectomy surgery usually requires other procedures to reattach the remaining portions of the digestive system and create a portal for waste to leave the body.

The MayoClinic.com feature also discusses how to prepare for this surgery and what to expect. For more information, visit MayoClinic.com.

About MayoClinic.com

Launched in 1995 and visited more than 15 million times a month, this award-winning Web site offers health information, self-improvement and disease management tools to empower people to manage their health. Produced by a team of Web professionals and medical experts, MayoClinic.com gives users access to the experience and knowledge of the more than 3,300 physicians and scientists of Mayo Clinic. MayoClinic.com offers intuitive, easy-to-use tools such as "Symptom Checker" and "First-Aid Guide" for fast answers about health conditions ranging from common to complex; as well as an A—Z library of more than 850 diseases and conditions, in-depth sections on 24 common diseases and conditions, 16 healthy living areas including food and nutrition, recipes, fitness and weight control, videos, animations and features such as "Ask a Specialist" and "Drug Watch." Users can sign up for a free weekly e-newsletter called "Housecall" which provides the latest health information from Mayo Clinic. For more information, visit MayoClinic.com.

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