COLORECTAL SURGERY BLOG

Levator syndrome is a condition caused by spasms of the levator muscle, a large muscle in the lower pelvis which surrounds the rectum and which attaches to the tailbone.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in the United States, striking 140,000 people annually.. and causing 60,000 deaths. That’s a staggering figure when you consider the disease is potentially curable if diagnosed in the early stages.

Cancer of the colon and rectum is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States in both men and women. Approximately 131,000 Americans will be diagnosed every year with colorectal cancer, and approximately 55,000 people will die from their disease. Detection and removal of pre-cancerous lesions is the key to the prevention of colorectal cancer.

Blastocystis hominis is a common microscopic parasitic organism found throughout the world. Infection with Blastocystis hominis is called blastocystosis (BLASS-toe-SIS-toe-sis.)

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common disorder which may affect as many as 30% of all Americans at some point during their lives. A ‘syndrome’ is a pattern of symptoms, such as pain and bloating, which tend to occur together. IBS is not a ‘disease’ in the sense that it can be acquired or transmitted, like a cold. It is not life-threatening.

Fiber is an edible material that is derived from the cell wall of plants. It is an essential part of a well-balanced diet whose importance is being increasingly recognized. Studies show that dietary fiber may help prevent such diseases as colon cancer, diverticular disease, elevated cholesterol, chronic constipation and hemorrhoids. We know, for instance, that different countries with higher fiber intakes have lower rates of colon cancer and diverticular disease. A word of caution: these studies are not conclusive or final. They are open to interpretation and need verification.

A 15- to 35- minute minimally invasive procedure is the new gold standard for hemorrhoidectomy, according to American and European experts in the field. The procedure, known as PPH (procedure for prolapse and hemorrhoids) stapled hemorrhoidectomy, combines hemorrhoidal devascularization and repositioning to return the veins to the anal canal. “This year, this is the revolutionary new procedure in the United States,” Gary Hoffman, MD, clinical faculty member in general and colorectal surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, told General Surgery News after moderating a live PPH telesurgery at the 2003 annual meeting of the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons. “PPH stapled hemorrhoidectomy will supplant the traditional open operations in patients with symptomatic grades 3 and 4 hemorrhoids, because it results in a tremendous reduction in postoperative pain, and in a rapid return to work and to activities of daily living.”

Minimally invasive surgical techniques have gained popularity in the treatment of many benign diseases. However, there have been concerns surrounding the laparoscopic approach in the removal of colorectal carcinomas.Recently, these questions have been addressed in well-controlled, prospective, randomized studies.

Approximately 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States. It is the second leading cause of cancer mortality, resulting in almost 60,000 deaths every year.1 Cancer of the colon and rectum most commonly develop from precursor adenomatous polyps that increase in size over time.2,3 Early detection and removal of these premalignant polyps usually prevents them from developing into invasive cancer.4,5 This is the rationale behind the colorectal cancer screening recommendations from the American Cancer Society and the American College of Gastroenterology.

Located at the most inferior part of the abdominal cavity, the pelvic floor is a network of muscles, ligaments, and tissues that act like a hammock to support the organs of the abdomen and pelvis. Caused by weakness or injury to this pelvic sling, pelvic floor disorders result in a prolapse of the rectum, small bowel, bladder, or uterus.