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Colorectal surgery encompasses a wide range of procedures involving the anus, rectum and small and large intestine. Some are performed on an outpatient basis with local anesthetics or sedation, while others take place in the hospital’s operating room (OR) under general anesthesia.����

In what follows, Dr. Lea Lowenfeld, a colorectal surgeon and an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery at �ձ�avɫ��Ƭ, provides answers to your FAQs regarding the conditions that require surgical treatment, the procedures surgeons perform and the steps patients need to take to prepare for surgery, from minor surgical “fixes” to major operations.��

Outpatient procedures��

Smaller procedures don’t always require preparation, Dr. Lowenfeld says. They may be performed in the doctor’s office, and patients are awake throughout.����

Outpatient (office-based) procedures include:��

At most, the surgeon will use lidocaine—a topical anesthetic—to minimize any discomfort.��

A colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy, which is an abbreviated version of a colonoscopy that visualizes only the lower segment of the intestine, can be done in an endoscopy suite under light anesthesia. “Your doctor will give you instructions on how to prepare for these,” she adds, “and you’ll be able to go home an hour or two afterwards, once you’re fully awake and alert.”��

Make sure to have someone pick you up after any procedure involving sedation or anesthesia. That’s a must!��

Inpatient procedures��

These include larger operations involving the removal of all or part of the colon—a procedure called a colectomy. Patients with the following conditions may require a partial or total colectomy:��

The main issue, says Dr. Lowenfeld, is anesthesia safety. “That’s why you’ll need to stop eating solid food the night before and stop taking liquids 2 hours before sedation.”��

More extensive surgical procedures may also require patients to stop taking blood-thinning medications before surgery, and that includes colorectal surgery. But baby aspirin is usually okay, she says. It’s important to discuss all your medications with your doctor and review which, if any, should be stopped prior to surgery.��

The information you’ll need to provide��

Don’t forget to provide the hospital with the following information:����

Just in case, please also include your “advance directive,” defined by the National Institute on Aging as a legal document containing instructions for medical care that go into effect if you ������’t communicate your own wishes. An advance directive is also called a “living will.”��

Your hospital stay��

What to bring��

Bring a list of your medications, but no need to bring the pills themselves, as the hospital pharmacy has most medications. The only exceptions may be very specific creams, eye drops or pills, says Dr. Lowenfeld.����

And bring anything that makes you feel more comfortable, whether a favorite pillow, body lotion or your preferred foods and beverages (but no alcohol, of course!).����

After surgery��