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The surgeons of the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery
at The Western Pennsylvania Hospital offer the latest diagnostic and
treatment options for patients with colon and rectal cancer. Using
advanced laparoscopic techniques, surgeons remove many tumors with only a
small abdominal incision. Most patients with rectal cancer can be
successfully treated without the need for a colostomy, either through
advanced pelvic pouch reconstruction or removal of small tumors through
the anus.
Coordinating care through the Western Pennsylvania Cancer
Institute, surgeons work with radiation oncologists, medical oncologists,
and nurses to provide the best possible care for cancer patients. Patients
may receive adjuvant therapies such as radiation, chemotherapy and
biologic response modifiers.
To prevent the development of colorectal cancer, the
physicians at West Penn provide a full-range of endoscopic procedures,
such as colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy, to detect and remove colorectal
polyps.
Working closely with gastroenterologists, the surgeons
provide comprehensive care to patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s
disease. Surgeons in the Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery have
extensive experience with the technique of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis
for patients with ulcerative colitis, which allows patients to be cured
from the disease without the need for a permanent ileostomy. Non-operative
treatment with new anti-inflammatory drugs and nutritional support may
allow patients to obtain relief without the need for surgery.
Patients with diseases of the pelvic floor, such as fecal
incontinence, rectal prolapse, enterocele, and rectocele are evaluated
using such techniques as anorectal manometry, pudendal nerve testing,
transanal ultrasound evaluation of the anal sphincter and defecography.
In addition, West Penn’s surgeons employ new treatments
for hemorrhoids, anal fissures and other common anorectal diseases. |