Your doctor might recommend colorectal surgery to treat various benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous) colorectal conditions including colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), polyps, hernias, haemorrhoids and incontinence.
If you suffer from colorectal cancer, you are likely to have surgery to remove the tumour. The surgery is mainly done as a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure. The cancer can also be treated in an open surgery to remove the tumour and some of the nearby colon tissues and lymph nodes.
Laparoscopic colorectal surgery is done with minimal discomfort and fewer complications, and it allows faster recovery and return to normal daily activities as compared to open surgery. However, your doctor needs to decide whether you are a suitable candidate for this type of surgery first. If you have very large lesions, suffer severe cardio-respiratory conditions, or have undergone several other abdominal surgeries before, you may not be suitable for laparoscopic colorectal surgery.