Getting surgery can be a huge source of anxiety for patients, especially when you’re undergoing a procedure for cancer removal. It’s normal to feel nervous about what might go wrong, suspenseful about whether or not the procedure will be successful, and wonder what to expect as your surgery draws closer.
As surgeons, the process of surgery seems very normal to us - after all, we do it every day. We understand that for patients, however, getting colon cancer surgery can be a huge source of unease, and we want to make the process as simple as possible for you by helping you understand exactly what you can expect from your colon cancer surgery process, including what happens during colon cancer surgery and how to prepare for colon cancer surgery.
What Happens During Colon Cancer Surgery?
In order to treat colon cancer, surgical removal of the affected portion of the colon is necessary. Our surgeons do this using minimally invasive surgical techniques, which are less painful to recover from and decrease the length of hospital stay for our patients. During colon cancer surgery, your colorectal surgeon will start by removing the cancer growth and the surrounding portion of the colon. Oftentimes at this point the regional lymph nodes will be removed as well in order to assess whether or not the cancer has spread so that, if it has, appropriate additional treatment can be started. After that, the colon is reconnected and normal bowel function is restored.
How To Prepare For Colon Cancer Surgery
Preparation for your colon cancer surgery doesn’t start the day before your surgery. In fact, there are several different steps required to get you fully prepped for your procedure.
Several weeks prior to surgery, you should review any prescriptions you take with your doctor, since some may need to be discontinued a week or a few days before your colon surgery (such as drugs that interfere with blood clotting like Aspirin or Plavix).
The week of your surgery, you will either have a phone or in-person interview with the hospital anesthesia team to discuss your procedure. They will notify you of any medications you need to stop taking or take the day of your surgery, and let you know what time to come in for surgery. Keep in mind that you will be asked to come in a few hours earlier than your scheduled surgery time, and it is important that you get there on time.
*72 hours before your surgery, you will be tested for COVID-19. If you test negative, you can proceed with your scheduled surgery. If you test positive, you will be rescheduled for a later date. (*This is a temporary COVID-19 protocol)
24-48 hours before your surgery, a “prep” is typically required to clean your colon out prior to surgery. We will go over the specific details of your prep at your surgery consultation, as different surgeries or situations may require different prep instructions.
On the day of your surgery, take any drugs your doctor has recommended with just a sip of water. You should stop eating and drinking at midnight the evening before your surgery, and continue to fast the day of your surgery. If you’d like to shower prior to surgery, make sure to do that the night before or the morning of your surgery.
Getting colon cancer surgery can be scary, but our team of colorectal specialists is here to walk you through every step of the process. As long as you follow your doctor’s guidelines about how to prepare for colon cancer surgery and try your best to remain calm throughout the process, you’ll be well on your way to recovering from colon cancer surgery and putting this whole experience behind you! If you have any questions about colon cancer surgery prep, the surgery itself, or what your recovery process will look like, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. We want you to feel comfortable throughout the entire process, and we’re here to support you no matter what you need!