If you’re diagnosed with colon or rectal cancer or have a chronic digestive condition like inflammatory bowel disease (Chron’s disease and ulcerative colitis), your doctor may recommend a proctectomy. This procedure removes all or part of the rectum, depending on your unique needs.

At Forrest City Medical Center, we specialize in the latest minimally invasive techniques for proctectomy.

Types of Proctectomy

Proctectomy is most commonly used to treat rectal cancer. The type of proctectomy used depends on where the cancer is and how much it has spread (stage). Options include:

Transanal (local) proctectomy

This procedure is used for cancer that can be reached through the anal opening and has not spread too deeply. It does not require an incision.

Low anterior resection (LAR)

For cancer that is higher and deeper in the rectum, a larger section of the rectum may need to be removed through an incision in the lower belly. If there is enough healthy rectum tissue left, they are then reconnected in a process called anastomosis. You will be able to have normal bowel movements through the anus.

Abdominoperineal resection (APR)

If the cancer is close to the anal opening but large, you may have an APR procedure. The rectum is removed and the anal opening is closed. A new opening called an ostomy is created in the abdomen, where the small end of the colon is attached and visible on the outside of the body. This is called a stoma. A discreet collection bag is then fitted around the stoma to collect stool.

Minimally Invasive: Get Back on Your Feet Faster

Traditional “open” proctectomy requires a large incision and a sometimes lengthy and difficult recovery. Whenever possible, we use a more minimally invasive approach — either laparoscopic or robotic-assisted — which requires just a few small incisions.

During robotic surgery, your surgeon sits at a console next to you and operates using tiny, wristed instruments. A camera provides a high-definition, 3D magnified view inside your body, along with an imaging system that helps ensure there is good blood supply when reconnecting the colon and rectum.These techniques often offer a variety of benefits, including:

• Less post-operative pain
• Less scarring
• Fewer complications
• Shorter hospital stay
• Faster recovery
• Quicker return to bowel function
• As with any major surgery, there are potential risks, and not every patient is a candidate for minimally invasive surgery. Your surgeon will carefully discuss all options with you and help find the right procedure for your health and life.

Personalized Ostomy Support

Should you have an ostomy with a stoma after surgery, surgical nurses are here to support you. They’ll show you how to use the ostomy pouch, deal with any side effects like skin irritation and provide compassionate, ongoing care whenever you need it.

Keep in mind that with proper maintenance, the pouch cannot be seen under your clothing, and people will not even know you are wearing it. Also, more than 750,000 Americans have ostomies, and with today’s equipment, they can lead full, active lifestyles.