Colon and Rectal Surgery

Overview

Doctors in Colon and Rectal Surgery at Mayo Clinic offer the latest in diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the colon, rectum and anus.

Areas of expertise by Mayo Clinic surgeons include:

• Colon and rectal cancer and polyps
• Inflammatory bowel disease — Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis
• Diverticulitis and diverticular disease
• Anal problems such as hemorrhoids, fistula and fissure
• Motility problems of the colon, such as constipation

Mayo surgeons are also skilled in specific techniques including:

• Transanal endoscopic microsurgery
• Sacral nerve stimulation for fecal incontinence
• Single incision laparoscopic surgery

Colon and rectal surgeons at Mayo Clinic have completed training in general surgery as well as advanced training in the treatment of colon and rectal problems.

Mayo Clinic surgeons work closely with colleagues in gastroenterology and other specialties to ensure that you receive comprehensive, innovative and supportive care.

Mayo Clinic's colorectal surgeons perform hundreds of operations each year, frequently using minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgery. Robotic surgery offers advantages of greater precision and improved access to difficult areas, such as in rectal cancers.

Mayo colorectal surgeons:

• Pioneered the procedure to remove the diseased colon and rectum and reconnecting the intestines to the anus (ileonanal anastomosis), so that you can continue to eliminate wastes normally.
• Specialize in nerve and sphincter-sparing procedures that preserve healthy tissue and normal function.
• Are experienced in treating recurrent cancers with intraoperative radiation therapy

Mayo Clinic is one of the few institutions where surgeons from different specialties routinely remove tumors from different organs in the same operation (synchronous treatment). This approach combines two operations into one and streamlines treatment of people who have advanced tumors.

Mayo Clinic surgeons are active in research to find new and better ways of diagnosing and treating disease and in educating the next generation of surgeons. In 2009, a Mayo colorectal surgeon performed the first single-incision colectomy, in which the entire colon was removed through a single tiny incision around the navel.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., ranks No. 1 for digestive disorders in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings. Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., and in Jacksonville, Fla., are ranked among the Best Hospitals for digestive disorders by U.S. News & World Report.