Colon Disease Surgery: When is it Required and Why?
There are a number of conditions of the colon that can vary in seriousness. Some are relatively mild and cause only minor irritations while other conditions may be extremely serious and even life threatening. Colon disease surgery is not always necessary but in some cases can be unavoidable.
Early detection is always the key and for those who seek early medical intervention the prognosis is usually considerably better than for those who ignore obvious symptoms until it becomes a serious matter.
One condition requiring attention is colon cancer polyps. There are three categories: The ordinary polyp usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 60, they are slow growing and can take up to ten years to become cancerous. There is evidence to show that they may be linked to hereditary.
The familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an inherited disease and presents as a colon literally covered with hundreds of polyps. This condition can start when a patient is as young as ten years old. Every patient with this form of colon disease will develop cancer but this is a very rare disease.
Lynch Syndrome is more common and tends to affect close blood relations. Polyps occur at an early age and cancer tends to occur at an early age, even as early as in your 20s. With this condition, research shows an increased evidence of other cancers as well, including breast and ovarian cancer. With all forms, removal of polyps is advisable. Most can be removed with a wire loop, small ones can be destroyed by electrical current but larger ones may require surgery. Depending on what category of polyps you have, minimal invasive colon surgery may be a good option.
Crohn’s Disease occurs in the digestive tract and commonly affects the last part of the small intestine and/or large intestine (colon). The patient may have recurring bouts of symptoms, which include abdominal pain, fever, weight loss, rectal abscess, fissure and joint pain. Bleeding can also occur and may lead to anemia. Sores and ulcers present may affect other areas as well, including bladder, vagina and skin, with the anus and rectum most commonly affected. Initially, this disease can be treated with steroids and anti-inflammatory medication but in three quarters of sufferers, surgery will eventually be required to correct complications such as perforation, abscess and blockages.
An inflammation of the lining of the colon and rectum is known as Ulcerative Colitis and is a very common condition among the under 30?s age group. Small ulcers form on the lining and produce pus, mucus and blood. The inflammation starts at the rectum and lower colon but can soon involve the whole colon. Many symptoms tend to be the same as Crohn’s Disease and tend to disappear for long periods of time before recurring. Over time, the inflammation will damage the intestine. Although anti-inflammatory medication often brings relief, many sufferers do not respond to treatment, in which case, ulcerative colitis surgery will be necessary, especially where complications can cause life threatening situations.
Colon disease surgery may also be required for sufferers of Diverticular Disease, which is where pockets develop in the wall of the colon, causing inflammation. Complications from infection and fever may necessitate surgery rather than normal medications, which include antibiotics.
Related Articles:
