Colon Surgery

The large bowel is a very important part of the digestive system. It is a tube that runs from the end of the small bowel to the anus. It is about 1.5 meters long and about 5 cm wide. Its largest part is located intraperitoneally while some parts are located retroperitoneally.

The large bowel consists of the following parts:

Cecum: It is the first part of the large bowel. It is located in the right lower abdomen and is connected to the end of the small bowel. The appendix also emerges from the cecum Ascending colon: It is the second part of the large bowel and is about 20cm long. It is located in the right part of the abdomen. Transverse colon: It is the third part of the large bowel and is about 45cm long. It is located in the upper abdomen. Descending colon: It is the fourth part of the large bowel with a length of about 25cm. It is located in the upper left part of the abdomen. Sigmoid colon : It is the fifth part with a length of about 45cm. It is located in the lower left part of the abdomen. Rectum: It is the last part with a length of about 12cm.

Colon function

The large intestine is responsible for many important functions in the human body.

It absorbs water (about 1 liter/24H) while also contributing to the absorption of some electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, chlorine.
It participates in the absorption of some vitamins such as vitamin K, thiamin and vitamin B2.
It participates in the formation of feces and with the peristaltic movements of the intestine moves them to the anus where the function of defecation starts.
The large intestine contains a very large number of bacteria consisting of 700 different species. These bacteria live harmoniously in the human body, contributing to the creation of a special bacterial flora in the large intestine. These bacteria participate to a small extent in the creation of some vitamins (mainly vitamin K) and in the creation of gases. They also contribute to the immune system of the human body.

Doctor Kyritsis Alexandros has been trained in the field of Colon Surgery at the leading Hospitals of the United Kingdom and the USA: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, King’s College Hospital London, Manchester Royal Infirmary and Chesterfield Royal Hospital ¨.

Diagnosis of colon diseases

The large intestine can suffer from a variety of diseases, either malignant or benign in nature. Diseases such as constipation, diarrhea, diverticulitis, irritable bowel, crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, intestinal polyps, bowel cancer are just a few that can be found in the large intestine.

For the diagnosis of the above diseases, in addition to the hematological tests, we can also perform a combination of the following:

• Colonoscopy where with a camera we cansee the inside of the intestine and we can take a biopsy if needed
• Magnetic enterography
• CT colonography, an examination similar to a colonoscopy but without the ability of a biopsy
• Stool culture

We are living in an era with rapid development of technology, and we have the ability to treat many of the diseases of the colon that require surgical intervention with minimally invasive surgery techniques using Laparoscopic or Robotic Surgery.

The advantages of Laparoscopic Surgery are impressive:

Small surgical incisions
Quick recovery and quick return to work
Minimize postoperative pain
Less blood loss and fewer postoperative complications
Better cosmetic result
Lower rate of postoperative hernias

Colon diseases treated surgically in detail:

Rectal prolapse
Rctocelecele
Bowel cancer
Benign tumors-polyps of the intestine
Inflammatory bowel diseases
Diverticulitis

FREQUENT QUESTIONS

What parts does the large intestine consist of?

Cecum. It’s the first section.
Ascending colon. It is the second part.
Transverse colon. It is the third section.
Descending colon. It is the fourth section.
Sigmoid. It is the fifth section.
Rectum. It is the last section.

What is its function?

It has the following functions:

Absorbs water and helps absorb electrolytes
Absorbs vitamins
It helps in stool formation
It contains some bacteria that help reproduce vitamins and gases

How is colon disease diagnosed?

Diseases are diagnosed through:

Colonoscopy
Computed Tomography
Magnetic enterography
Stool culture
CT colonography

What diseases are treated surgically?

Some of the diseases treated surgically are:

Rectocele
Bowel cancer
Rectal prolapse
Benign tumors
Inflammatory bowel diseases
Diverticulitis

Is laparoscopy surgically effective?

Yes, because it has a large number of advantages.

What are the advantages?

Quick recovery
Better cosmetic result
Small discreet incisions
Less pain
Less blood loss