Colorectal Surgeon Phoenix has significant experience in a wide variety of conditions that affect the colon, rectum, and anus. This includes the screening and treatment of colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis) and a variety of polyps.

Surgery may include the removal of a portion or the entire colon and reattachment to the rectum. In addition, surgeons can use a scope to perform surgery without major incisions.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, but it can be prevented with screening. A colorectal surgeon can examine your lower gastrointestinal tract to detect any abnormalities that could lead to colon cancer. Your risk for this type of cancer increases with age, but it can also be influenced by family history, physical inactivity, obesity, smoking, and poor diet. You can help reduce your chance of colon cancer by avoiding red meat and processed foods, drinking plenty of water, and getting regular exercise.

If a tumor is found, your doctor will need to perform more tests to see how far the cancer has spread. This is called staging. A CT or MRI scan of your abdomen and pelvic area, blood work, a colonoscopy, and a test that measures the levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in your body are common for staging colon cancer.

Your doctor may also perform an endoscopy, in which a tube with a camera and light is inserted down your throat to the colon and rectum. This is sometimes used to remove small polyps and for a biopsy. A surgeon can also use a procedure in which radiofrequency waves are applied to the colon and rectum with a probe. This destroys any cancerous cells.

Surgical resection with colostomy

If you have a large tumor, your surgeon might need to remove the entire colon or part of it. Your surgeon will then connect healthy colon segments together, allowing you to have normal bowel movements. If the doctor can’t reconnect the colon, they will do a colostomy, in which your bowel is moved to an opening in your abdomen called a stoma and waste leaves through this opening into a bag that you change periodically.

If a tumor is found at an early stage, the surgeon might be able to remove it using a procedure in which they insert a tube with a cutting tool into the colon and rectum and cut away the cancerous tissue. Another option is radiofrequency ablation, which uses heat to destroy the cancerous tissue. Chemotherapy is often given before or after this surgery to kill any remaining cancerous cells.

Inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, causes inflammation in the digestive tract. It’s a chronic illness that can lead to abdominal pain, diarrhea and rectal bleeding. It can affect a person of any age but is most common in teens and young adults. The two most common types are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract; ulcerative colitis usually affects the colon, which is the last part of the large intestine. People with IBD often experience flare-ups of symptoms, followed by periods of remission.

The exact cause of IBD isn’t known, but genetics, certain foods and environmental factors may make a person more likely to develop the condition. It can also run in families, and some people with IBD have a family member with the condition. IBD can cause many side effects, including fatigue, weight loss, rashes, joint pain and eye problems. It can also slow down a person’s growth and cause them to start puberty later than other kids.

Our team of specialists offers a range of medical and surgical treatment options for people with IBD. The main goal is to relieve the abnormal inflammation and allow intestinal tissue to heal, so the patient can enjoy a good quality of life and reach their personal goals.

We use a variety of tests, imaging, and procedures to paint a picture of what’s happening inside the body. These include blood tests, stool (poop) tests and X-rays. We might also do a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy to examine the digestive tract. During these procedures, doctors insert a narrow, flexible tube with a camera into the anus to see inflammation and ulcers on the digestive tract lining. The doctor can also take samples, called biopsies, of the intestinal lining with a tool attached to the end of the tube. These are sent to a laboratory for testing.

Some treatments for IBD include medicines and diet changes. We might recommend you avoid foods that are hard to digest, such as dairy products. Some people with IBD find that their symptoms, such as belly pain and diarrhea, improve when they limit dairy products or use an enzyme to help them digest the milk sugar, called lactose. We might also recommend that you drink plenty of fluids, especially water.

Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s disease is an ongoing condition that causes inflammation in parts of the large intestine (colon) and rectum. It can cause symptoms like diarrhea, pain and fever. The disease can also lead to complications like anal fistulas, which are tunnel-like openings in the skin around the anus or colon, and malnutrition due to not absorbing enough nutrients. It is a chronic, relapsing disease, meaning that there are times when your symptoms flare up (flare-up) and other times when you have few or no symptoms (remission).

Crohn’s can damage the wall of the bowels, which may cause scar tissue to form and narrow part of the intestines. This is called a stricture. Over time, this can block the flow of food through the bowel, leading to painful cramping and vomiting. Surgery can be used to widen a stricture or remove part of the bowel.

Other problems related to Crohn’s include low iron, which is called anemia; eye problems, such as uveitis, and arthritis; and gallbladder or liver disease. Certain medicines that are used to treat Crohn’s, such as corticosteroids, can increase your risk of infection and can raise your blood pressure and the chance of getting a blood clot in a vein or artery.

Your doctor will take your medical history, perform a physical exam, and order lab tests to check for signs of inflammation and other conditions. These might include blood tests, stool tests and X-rays. The doctor may also do an endoscopy or colonoscopy to examine the inside of your intestines. These procedures use a tube with a camera and light at the end, which allows your doctor to see inflammation, ulcers, bleeding or any other problems in your esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon.

Your surgeon may use a minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove your affected colon, called an ileocecal valve resection or ileo-anal fistula repair. During this procedure, your surgeon will make an incision in your belly to expose the lower intestine. Your surgeon will cut and remove the affected area of your colon, then close the wound with sutures or staples.

Anal fistula

Anal fistula is a hole from your anus to the skin that forms from an infected gland. It can cause pain and pus discharge. It can also lead to fecal incontinence, where you lose control of your bowels. Surgery is usually needed to fix this problem. Your doctor will diagnose anal fistula by asking about your symptoms and history. He or she will also examine the area around your anus. The doctor may use a lighted scope to look inside your anal canal. The doctor may also inject hydrogen peroxide into the infection to find its source.

If your anal fistula has been present for a long time, it can develop into a chronic condition. You can still have a good outcome with the right treatment. A specialist in colon and rectal disease can help you manage the condition.

An anal fistula is caused by a bacterial infection. It can occur with certain conditions, including Crohn’s disease and injury to the anal canal. It can also be the result of a previous surgery or anal trauma. Antibiotics can help reduce inflammation, but they won’t cure the condition. Surgery is required to treat anal fistula.

Surgery can be performed in your doctor’s office or clinic, depending on the type of procedure. It can be done under local or general anaesthesia. Before the operation, ask your doctor to explain the procedure and what is involved. You will need to avoid drinking large amounts of water before the surgery.

There are several types of anal fistula surgery. Some can be repaired in a single visit, while others require multiple operations over several months. Your surgeon will try to avoid cutting the sphincter muscles that open and close your anus. If the anal fistula is below or crosses the sphincter muscles, your doctor may have to cut into them.

The surgeon will create an anal fistula tunnel by making small flaps within your anal canal. He or she will then sew the flaps to the anal canal opening. The tunnel will be covered by scar tissue. Your doctor can then put a piece of surgical string called a seton in the track. The seton will keep the fistula open and drain urine.