Type of Surgery
Information
Last updated: 11/24/2009
The small intestine is the part of the digestive system that absorbs much of the liquid and nutrients from food. It consists of three segments: the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum; and is followed by the large intestine (colon). A small bowel resection...
may be performed to treat the following conditions:
- Crohn's disease. This condition is characterized by a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the digestive tract. If other treatment does not effectively control symptoms, the physician may recommend surgery to close fistulas or remove part of the intestine where the inflammation is worst.
- Cancer. Cancer of the small intestine is a rare cancer in which malignant cells are found in the tissues of the small intestine. Adenocarcinoma, lymphoma, sarcoma, and carcinoid tumors account for the majority of small intestine cancers. Surgery to remove the cancer is the most common treatment. When the tumor is large, removal of the small intestine segment containing the cancer is usually indicated.
- Ulcers. Ulcers are crater-like lesions on the mucous membrane of the small bowel caused by an inflammatory, infectious, or malignant condition that often requires surgery and in some cases, bowel resection.
- Intestinal obstruction. This condition involves a partial or complete blockage of the bowel that results in the failure of the intestinal contents to pass through. Intestinal obstruction is usually treated by decompressing the intestine with suction, using a nasogastric tube inserted into the stomach or intestine. In cases where decompression does not relieve the symptoms, or if tissue death is suspected, bowel resection may be considered.
- Injuries. Accidents may result in bowel injuries that require resection.
- Precancerous polyps. A polyp is a growth that projects from the lining of the intestine. Polyps are usually benign and produce no symptoms, but they may cause rectal bleeding and develop into malignancies over time. When polyps have a high chance of becoming cancerous, bowel resection is usually indicated.
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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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