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Partial Colectomy for Diverticular Disease
Surgical treatment of diverticulitis or diverticular bleeding involves removing the diseased part of the colon (partial colectomy) and then joining the remaining sections. Partial colectomy is done under general anesthesia.
In the past, surgery for diverticulitis was always done as an open procedure in which a large incision is made in the abdomen. But as laparoscopic surgery has become more popular, more surgeons are using it for diverticulitis. There are advantages and disadvantages to both surgeries. For example, people who have laparoscopic surgery tend to have shorter stays in the hospital, shorter recovery times, and fewer complications after surgery.1 In some cases of complicated diverticulitis, laparoscopic surgery may not be an option.
A partial colectomy may be done in one step, or it may require more than one surgery (two-stage operation). In a two-stage operation, the first surgery removes the diseased part of the colon, and the end of the upper section of the colon is attached to an opening in the abdomen wall (colostomy). Until the next surgery, stool passes out of the body at this opening and into a disposable bag. After inflammation and infection from the diverticulitis have cleared up, the second surgery is done to reconnect the ends of the colon.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: July 26, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Arvydas D. Vanagunas, MD - Gastroenterology | |
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