Laparoscopic Colon Resection

Center for Intestinal Continence
St. Anthony's Hospital, Professional Office Building
1201 Fifth Ave. N., Suite 408
St. Petersburg, FL 33705
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Laparoscopic Colon Resection 

Laparoscopic colon resection is the removal of a diseased section of the colon.  Laparoscopic enable the surgeon to operate through very small keyhole incision in the abdomen.

The surgeon makes a half inch cut near the belly button.  This is where the laparoscope is inserted.  With the laparoscope in place, the surgeon will make 3-4 more small incisions.  Surgical instruments are placed through these incisions to complete the surgery.  As the bowel is freed from the mesentery, the surgeon will cut away the diseased section of the bowel.  Because the incisions used in laparoscopy are very small, the diseased section of bowel is placed in a bag in the abdominal cavity, and then the bag is pulled out of the enlarged incision.  After the bag is removed, the ends of the colon are pulled through and stapled or sutured together creating an anastomosis (connection of bowel).

Hospitalization is 2 to 7 days, depending on how long it takes for your bowel to "wake up" after anesthesia, and tolerating a regular diet

At any point, the surgery may convert to an open laparotomy for various reasons. Hospitalization would then turn to 5 to 8 days.

This minimally invasive procedure can be performed on patient with ulcerative colitis/Crohn's Disease, diverticulitis, rectal prolapse, and colorectal cancer.