Bowel Resection

Bowel resection is a surgery to remove part of your small or large bowel. This procedure may be needed if there is a block in the intestine due to scar tissue or deformities, or if bleeding, an infection, cancer, polyps or benign tumors are detected. Bowel resection is done under general anesthesia. Your surgeon will make a cut in the abdomen, remove the diseased part of the intestine and resect the bowel. This procedure is often accompanied by an ostomy operation, where an opening (stoma) is created through the abdominal wall to allow for the exit of solid waste from the body. The healthy end of the intestine near the stomach is moved through the abdominal wall and stitched in place. A drainage bag (also called a stoma appliance) is placed around the opening. In most cases, the stoma is temporary and can be closed with another operation at a later date. If a large part of the bowel is removed, the stoma may be permanent.