How to Make the Most of Your Colon Surgery Recovery

At Advanced Surgical Associates of Northern Minnesota, board-certified general surgeon Dr. John Bollins and our team treat colon conditions first with medication and lifestyle modifications. However, you may need colon surgery if your symptoms don't improve or if you have a life-threatening condition such as cancer, infection, or a bowel obstruction.

Just as important as the procedure itself is the recovery period that follows. Here's what you can expect and how to make the most of your recovery.

What does colon surgery involve?

Colon surgery is performed on the digestive organs in the abdomen, primarily the small intestine and colon.

Dr. Bollins and our staff use minimally invasive or robot-assisted techniques whenever possible. The former reduces risks of bleeding and infection and requires a shorter recovery time. The latter offers greater precision and less risk of damage to surrounding tissue.

The most common surgical procedures treat:

Colon cancer

The surgical technique to remove the cancer is called a resection, and it involves removing the part of your colon that contains the cancer together with nearby lymph nodes. Dr. Bollins then attaches the remaining healthy parts of the colon to allow for normal passage of stool.

Diverticulitis

Diverticulosis is a condition in which small, bulging pouches develop in the digestive tract. The condition is called diverticulitis if one or more become inflamed or infected.

Dr. Bollins removes the diseased part of your intestine during surgery and reconnects the healthy segments. Generally, you'll be able to have normal bowel movements after surgery. If you need to have emergency surgery, he may perform a colostomy to allow your bowel to heal.

A colostomy involves opening the abdomen and having stool exit the body through the stoma into a bag outside. If you heal well, he may reverse the colostomy later and reconnect the ends of the bowel.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

IBD includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, which cause chronic infection of the small and/or large intestine. Dr. Bollins performs a resection when a stricture (narrowing or blockage) is too long to address otherwise. He removes the damaged and diseased part of your intestine and sews together the ends of the remaining healthy sections.

Recovering from colon surgery

After colorectal surgery, your primary job is to rest and heal, but that doesn't mean doing nothing. Most patients can eat, drink, and move around the day after surgery. Movement is important, as it reduces the risk of blood clots and fluid in your lungs. You can expect to sit in a chair and take short walks in the hospital hallway.

Following a minimally invasive procedure, the average hospital stay is 6.5 days, and you can resume normal activities usually in 1-2 weeks. With open surgery, the average hospital stay is nine days, with six weeks of recovery. Ask the doctor or nurse to explain what you should do and when during recovery.

Once you get home, you may need a caregiver to assist you with household duties and transportation. Your hospital discharge instructions will include information about what you can eat. Eating a healthy diet (usually low-fiber so you don't stress the gut) and drinking plenty of fluids are important, as they help heal.

Whatever you do, don't try to do too much too fast. It only slows down healing and makes you more prone to complications.

You'll need to have a post-surgery appointment with Dr. Bollins to ensure proper healing. Follow-up care usually includes physical exams, monitoring for disease recurrence, managing any side effects, and tracking your overall physical health.

If you had any form of ostomy, your ostomy nurse will show you how to care for the stoma before you leave the hospital, and you may receive in-home nursing care for a couple of weeks.

You can easily get your ostomy supplies online or from your local pharmacy or medical supply store. Your stoma nurse will help you determine everything you'll need moving forward. Order supplies a few weeks before you run out, but don't stockpile them, as temperature changes and moisture can damage them.

If you need colon surgery, you should get as much information upfront as possible about how long your recovery might be and what you can expect. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Bollins, call our office in Hibbing, Duluth, or Ely, Minnesota, or book your appointment online.

We proudly accept Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna, HealthPartners, Humana, UCare, Medica, and SecurityHealthPlan.