The rectum is the last 8 to 10 inches of the colon. It also called the large intestine or the large bowel.
Some of the common conditions of the rectum that may require rectal surgery are:
- Rectal cancer and polyps
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- (Crohn's disease)
- Ulcerative colitis
- Diverticulitis
- Anal problems such as hemorrhoids, fistula, and fissures
- Constipation
- Rectal prolapse
- Rectal abscess
- Fecal incontinence
Hemorrhoids are one of the most common ailments experienced by patients. More than half of the population has them and they usually develop sometime after the age of 30. Many treatment methods available today are safe and make hemorrhoid removal less painful.
Surgery for hemorrhoids is reserved for those people who do not respond to more conservative therapies. The important factor to consider is how much trouble the hemorrhoids are causing. Occasionally, hemorrhoids that become quite large, or bleed so much, will require surgery.
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