What is the Small Bowel?
The small bowel is the part of the intestines extending from the stomach to the large intestine (colon). It is most commonly referred to as the small intestine and is the primary site for food digestion. The small intestine is coiled within the abdomen and is about 20 feet long to give it a large area to absorb nutrients during digestion
What is Small Bowel Surgery?
Small bowel or small intestine surgery may be necessary to correct several conditions.
- Crohn’s Disease
- Benign Tumor
- Bleeding, infection, or ulcers due to inflammation of the small
- Cancer
- Gangrene
- Obstruction – such as an incarcerated in a hernia
- A block in the intestine due to scar tissue or deformities
- Trauma
- Precancerous polyps
Laparoscopic small bowel resection
Surgery on the small bowel is called a resection. During a resection, the diseased part of the small intestine is removed and the two healthy ends are sewn back together or resected.
In most cases, Surgical Consultants of Hollywood surgeons will perform a resection using minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery. A laparoscopic small bowel resection is performed through 3 or 4 small incisions in the abdomen. The laparoscope which allows the surgeon to look inside the abdomen is inserted through one of the incisions while special instruments used in the surgery are inserted through the remaining incisions. The diseased portion of intestine is removed and the healthy intestine joined together without requiring the abdomen to be opened with the traditional large scar. This allows the patient to recover more quickly with less pain, a shorter hospital stay, and a faster return to normal activity.