Colon & Rectal Surgery

Glossary of Terms

Abdominal perineal resection - cancer treatment whereby the anus and rectum are surgically removed.

Crohn's Disease - Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that can affect any portion of the intestines. The disease can obstruct the intestine by thickening the affected tissue.

Diverticulitis - infected pockets in the colon. These pockets can be a source of bleeding and discomfort.

Diverticulosis - pockets located in the colon that are not infected.

Fissure - an abnormal anal opening that can cause pain and bleeding.

Fistula – a mass formed by infected tissue that adheres to an adjacent organ or the skin. A fistula usually forms during the healing process, when the tissues are healing from some sort of infection.

Hemorrhoid - enlarged, swollen lesion in the rectal area.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease - a chronic disorder that causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are forms of inflammatory bowel disease.

Left colectomy - removal of the portion of the colon located on the left side of the body (also known as the descending colon). Colectomy can be performed as a treatment for cancer and other diseases of the bowel.

M2A capsule endoscopy – form of endoscopy designed to detect signs of chronic intestinal bleeding.

Pilonidal - infections at the base of the tailbone.

Polyp - in general terms, a polyp is an abnormal growth off of an ordinarily smooth surface. Most colon cancer begins as a benign polyp.

There are two types of polyps:

hyperplastic polyps - polyps that are perfectly benign, and not related to the malignant sequence.
adenomas - pre-cancerous lesions.

Rectal prolapse - condition whereby the rectum falls out of position, or turns inside out.

Recto-vaginal fistula - connection between the vagina and rectum that usually develops after childbirth.

Right colectomy - removal of the portion of the colon located on the right side of the body (also known as the ascending colon). Colectomy can be performed as a treatment for cancer and other diseases of the bowel.

Sigmoidoscopy - state-of-the-art procedure whereby a lighted scope is placed in the sigmoid colon through the rectum, to provide a view of the organ that aids in the diagnosis of colorectal disorders.

Sigmoid colectomy - removal of the sigmoid colon, or the lower portion of the intestine connected to the rectum. The procedure is used as a treatment for both cancerous and non-cancerous conditions.

Transrectal ultrasound - a procedure that utilizes sound waves to create an image of the colon for diagnostic purposes.

Transverse colectomy - removal of the portion of the intestine that spans from the right to the left side of the body, as a treatment for both cancerous and non-cancerous conditions.

Ulcerative colitis - an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that affects the inner layer of the colon. The disorder can cause bleeding, diarrhea, and can be a precursor to colon cancer.