Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 11/24/2009
The resection procedure can be performed using an open surgical approach or laparoscopically. There are three types of surgical small bowel resection procedures:
- Duodenectomy. Excision of all or part of the duodenum.
- Ileectomy. Excision...
of all or part of the ileum. - Jejunectomy. Excision of all or a part of the jejunum.
Open resection
Following adequate bowel preparation, the patient is placed under general anesthesia and positioned for the operation. The surgeon starts the procedure by making a midline incision in the abdomen. The diseased part of the small intestine (ileum or duodenum or jejunum) is removed. The two healthy ends are either stapled or sewn back together, and the incision is closed. If it is necessary to spare the intestine from its normal digestive work while it heals, a temporary opening (stoma) of the intestine into the abdomen (ileostomy, duodenostomy, or jejunostomy) is made. The ostomy is later closed and repaired.
Laparoscopic bowel resection
Laparoscopic small bowel resection features insertion of a thin telescope-like instrument called a laparoscope through a small incision made at the umbilicus (belly button). The laparoscope is connected to a small video camera unit that shows the operative site on video monitors located in the operating room. The abdomen is inflated with carbon dioxide gas to allow the surgeon a clear view of the operative area. Four to five additional small incisions are made in the abdomen for insertion of specialized surgical instruments that the surgeon uses to perform the surgery. The small bowel is clamped above and below the diseased section and this section is removed. The small bowel ends are reattached using staples or sutures. Following the procedure, the small incisions are closed with sutures or surgical tape.
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Despite being less than a minute long, this narrated animation explains the fate of food that we eat within the digestive tract.
To remove a diseased portion of the small intestine, an incision is made into the abdomen, and the area to be treated is pulled out (A). Clamps are placed around the area to be removed and the section is cut (B). Three layers of sutures repair the remaining bowel (C). (Illustration by GGS Inc.)
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Other Information
A small bowel resection is the surgical removal of a diseased section of the small intestines. A small bowel resection may be performed to treat the following problems:
• Crohn’s Disease
• Tumor
• Gangrene
• Obstruction – incarceration in a hernia
• Trauma
The small bowel resection can be performed laparoscopically using long, thin instruments inserted through small incisions. During the procedure, the diseased section of the small intestine is stapled and removed. The bowel is then reconnected to reestablish the continuity of the digestive tract.
Other Information
Biliary colic is the presenting symptom in 80% of patients with gallstone disease who seek medical care; however, only 10-20% of all individuals with gallstones experience severe gallstone pain.
From: eMedicine
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