A colectomy is an operation to remove part or all of your colon. It’s also called colon resection surgery. You may need a colectomy if part or all of your colon has stopped working, or if it has an incurable condition that endangers other parts. Common reasons include colon cancer and inflammatory bowel diseases.
A colectomy is a surgical operation to remove part or all of your colon. It’s also called colon resection surgery. Your colon is part of your large bowel, which makes colectomy a type of large bowel resection.
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Your colon is part of your large intestine, where waste from the food you’ve been digesting is gradually solidified into poop. After your colon, your large intestine continues into your rectum and anus, where food waste exits your body.
You may need to have part or all of your colon removed for many different reasons. This can include cancers or diseases that can't be treated with medications. Removing the affected portion helps to ensure that the rest of your gastrointestinal tract can continue to function.
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Many problems can occur that may require part of your colon to be removed.
Conditions commonly treated with colectomy include:
In persistent and severe cases, colectomy may be used to treat:
Most people would say so. While there’s no standard definition of major vs. minor surgery, colectomy has an operating time of several hours and a recovery time of up to six weeks, both of which are on the longer side. Besides, a colon resection impacts the way your food travels through your gastrointestinal tract. Some versions of colectomy may affect the way you go to the bathroom in the future.
However, if conditions are favorable, colectomy surgery can be performed using minimally-invasive methods. If you are a candidate for laparoscopic or robotic surgery, your operation and recovery time will be shorter. These minimally-invasive surgery methods use smaller incisions than traditional open surgery, which means faster healing and less pain overall. Your condition will determine what kind of operation you have.
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A colectomy removes part or all of your colon. But what happens to the rest of your intestinal tract after the diseased tissue is removed? That varies, depending on several factors. Sometimes the two remaining ends of your intestines can simply be stapled together in the same surgery, and your intestinal tract can continue to function as usual. But sometimes that’s not possible. In this case, you may need an ostomy — either an ileostomy or a colostomy. The ileostomy or colostomy may be temporary or permanent.
An ostomy is another surgical procedure that creates a new pathway for your poop to follow when the usual pathway is unavailable. If your system can’t pass your food waste along to your rectum and out through your anus, you'll need another way for your poop to come out. A colostomy or ileostomy lets waste come out through a hole in your abdominal wall, called a stoma. A pouch called an ostomy bag attaches to the outside of the stoma to collect the poop.
Not all colectomies require an ostomy, and not all colostomies are permanent. You may only need one temporarily while your intestines are healing from the colectomy. After a few months, many ostomies are reversible, depending on your health. You may return to surgery to have the severed ends of your intestines reconnected (anastomosis) and your stoma closed. Others may need a permanent ostomy.
Before scheduling a colectomy, your healthcare team will evaluate your fitness for surgery. In addition to a physical exam and health history, this may include:
Your healthcare team will want to make sure you understand everything about the procedure before you sign your consent. They’ll counsel you about:
When you have surgery on your bowels, it’s important for them to be empty. You’ll need to prepare for this a couple of days in advance. Your healthcare provider may ask you to:
The specifics of your colectomy surgery will depend on the type of operation you’re having and the surgical method being used. The operation will follow a general pattern, though.
In general, you can expect your provider to:
Your surgeon may perform your colectomy by traditional open surgery or by minimally-invasive laparoscopic surgery.
You may need all or only part of your colon removed. Operations to remove different sections of the colon have different names.
A total colectomy removes your entire colon. This is the majority of your large intestine. It begins at the end of your small intestine and ends at your rectum, the tail end of the large intestine that leads into the anal canal.
A subtotal or partial colectomy removes a portion of your colon. Your operation may go by a more specific name that references the section of your colon that's being removed. For example:
After your bowels have been resected, your surgeon may be able to join the severed ends right away. Or, they might have to wait and join them in another surgery later on. Sometimes they're not able to reconnect your bowels together. Your colectomy will end with one of these procedures:
You’ll spend a few days recovering in the hospital before you’re discharged. It might be two days or up to a week, depending on what kind of operation you had and how you are doing. During this time, you’ll be:
You’ll also receive counseling on how to take care of yourself when you get home. This may include:
Complications are rare, but they're always possible. Complications of colectomy may include:
Recovery at home takes up to six weeks. Many people get back to most of their usual routines within two weeks after surgery. Try to be extra gentle with yourself in the first few days after you get home. Getting up to walk around is good for you, but you may feel weak. Don’t try to do too much, too soon.
You'll likely meet with a dietitian or nutritional counselor after surgery to give you specific advice. They may recommend sticking to a low-fiber diet for up to one month after surgery. Low-fiber foods create less work for your colon while it’s trying to heal. They may also recommend you drink more water.
Call your provider anytime you have concerns, especially if you have:
If your provider has recommended you have a colectomy, you may want to ask:
A note from Cleveland Clinic
While colectomy is major surgery, it is largely safe and effective. Recent medical advances may help you get back to your usual routines faster than you expect. If you’re concerned about potentially needing an ostomy, reach out to your provider. They can answer any questions or concerns you have about how an ostomy bag may affect your life. You may not need one at all. But if you do, you should know that having a colostomy bag doesn’t have to stop you from living a full, active and happy life.
Last reviewed on 04/24/2022.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy