Hemicolectomy

Hemicolectomy is a type of surgery that involves removing half of the colon. Depending on the localization of the pathology, there are left and right hemicolectomy.

When do you need to operate?

Hemicolectomy is performed in the case of the following diseases:

colon cancer - depending on the location of the tumor distinguish between right and left hemicolectomy. The complexity of the operation is due to the nature of the blood supply to the intestine, the need to remove many regional lymph nodes, and the greater strength of the anastomosis, which is superimposed on the transverse colon;
intestinal obstruction;
intestinal polyposis;
Crohn's disease.

What are the contraindications to surgery?

Hemicolectomy has a number of contraindications:

the presence of metastases;
severe condition of the patient;
systemic diseases of internal organs;
acute infection;
severe diabetes mellitus.

How is the preparation for the operation?

In the case of hemicolectomy, the rules of the preparatory stage are almost no different from other surgical interventions in the large intestine. The patient must undergo the following examinations before hospitalization:

general and biochemical blood and urine tests;
tests for the presence of infectious agents (hepatitis B and C, HIV, syphilis);
ECG;
fluorography;
irigoscopy;
colonoscopy.

Depending on the results of the patient's examinations, therapy is carried out aimed at eliminating anemia, water-electrolyte imbalance, and other disorders that prevent successful surgery and recovery after it.
A couple of days before the hemicolectomy, bowel cleansing (laxatives and enemas) and suppression of the intestinal microflora (antibiotics) will be started.

How is the recovery period?

During the day after the intervention, the patient is in the intensive care unit. At stabilization of a condition (approximately in 1-2 days), it is transferred to the general ward.
To speed up the process of restoring the functions of systems and organs, it is recommended to get out of bed as early as possible, to walk in the ward, to maintain activity and mobility.
At an active mode probability of development of such complications as pneumonia, formation of thrombi and others considerably decreases.
At a normal course of the postoperative period, the patient is discharged from the clinic in 7-10 days. It usually takes at least six months to fully adapt.

Bibliography

Федоров С.П. «К оценке способов резекции желудка» Новый хирургический архив 1924, 1, - С. 125-130
Земляной А.Г. Резекция желудка / А.Г. Земляной // Ленинград. Медицина. –1973.– 192 с.
Данилов М.В., Федоров В.Д. Хирургия поджелудочной железы: Руководство для врачей. М: Медицина 1995; 512.
Кубышкин В.А., Козлов И.А., Алиханов Р.Б. Панкреатодуоденальная резекция с сохранением желудка при раке периампулярной зоны. Хирургия. 2001; 6: 55–58.