What is Colectomy?
A colectomy is surgical removal of part or all of the colon, the large intestine that receives contents from the small bowel, absorbs water and stores stool before it reaches the rectum. In cancer care it is done to take out the tumour with a margin of bowel and, where indicated, regional lymph nodes, then restore a path from remaining bowel to remaining bowel — or, when a join is not honest, to form a stoma. Right hemicolectomy removes the ascending colon. Left hemicolectomy removes the descending colon. Sigmoid colectomy removes the sigmoid. Subtotal colectomy leaves a small remnant; total colectomy removes the entire colon. Proctocolectomy, when used, also takes the rectum.
