Colon Disease

Colon disease describes several different problems in the large bowel. Diverticular disease can cause repeated inflammation or narrowing. A stricture can slow or block passage. A mass, injury, or damaged segment may also require evaluation for removal.

These conditions can share symptoms with medical problems that do not need an operation. A change in bowel habits, pain, bleeding, and bloating are reasons to investigate, not conclusions about the cause.

The evaluation reviews symptom timing, family history, prior colonoscopy findings, previous abdominal surgery, and any episodes of infection or hospitalization. Examination and bloodwork help identify inflammation, blood loss, and other signs of illness.

CT imaging shows inflammation, narrowing, abscesses, and obstruction. Colonoscopy may be part of the evaluation when it is safe and appropriate, because it examines the lining directly and allows tissue samples to be taken. Severe pain with fever, vomiting, a rigid abdomen, or an inability to pass stool or gas needs emergency evaluation.

Surgery is considered when there is a confirmed structural problem, repeated inflammation with complications, a narrowing or blockage, uncontrolled bleeding, or a segment that needs removal. The operation and its extent depend on the diagnosis, location, and condition of the surrounding bowel.

When appropriate, a robotic minimally invasive operation is performed through small incisions. Magnified three dimensional vision and wristed instruments help with precise dissection in the abdomen and pelvis. The affected segment may be removed and healthy bowel reconnected. Infection, emergency findings, prior operations, or extensive scar tissue can make an open operation the appropriate approach. The evaluation explains those possibilities before a procedure is scheduled.

This page is educational information, not medical advice. What is right for you is decided in consultation, after a review of your history, your symptoms, and your testing.