Cancer surgery

What is a small bowel diverticulum? What is diverticulitis?

Diverticula are more common in the colon (or large intestine) and rarer in the small intestine (or “small intestine”) but not exceptional. A diverticulum is an outgrowth.

Diverticulitis is the inflammation and infection of a diverticulum (which can cause fever and/or abdominal pain).

The diverticula can bleed, clog and become infected (abscess, peritonitis), and perforate and be the cause of more or less serious complications. Under these conditions, your surgeon may need to treat you with fasting, pain medication, antibiotics, sometimes hospitalize you to monitor you or operate on you urgently. It is in particular to avoid having to carry out a surgery with serious consequences for you (by laparotomy or a large scar and with the creation of an artificial anus) that your surgeon can, depending on your history, offer you an intervention in order to avoid that these episodes of diverticular infection do not recur and are potentially more serious and more complicated to manage.

Role of surgery for small bowel diverticulitis

In times of crisis (diverticulitis), depending on your symptoms (pain, fever), the results of your blood tests and imaging exams, your surgeon can offer you several treatments that can sometimes be performed at home and sometimes require medical attention. hospitalization

  • Fasting and pain medication.
  • Fasting, antibiotics and pain medication.
  • Fasting, antibiotics, pain medication, and x-ray drainage of an abscess.
  • Fasting, antibiotics, pain medication and exploratory laparoscopy (washing of the peritoneal cavity).
  • Fasting, antibiotics, pain medication, exploratory laparoscopy (washing of the peritoneal cavity) and resection of the segment of intestine carrying the diverticulum causing the symptoms and creation of an artificial anus (or stoma).

It is to avoid carrying out a surgical procedure with serious consequences (making an artificial anus or stoma) that your referring doctor and your surgeon may offer you the removal of the segment of small intestine carrying the diverticulum of the small intestine.

For this we have 2 techniques:

  • Either by a classic and old technique by an incision under the navel creating a scar of approximately 10 to 15 cm.
  • Either a more recent and more modern technique by laparoscopy (3 incisions of one centimeter each) which has the advantage of being very non-aggressive, it reduces post-operative pain and allows a rapid resumption of daily activities.

Given these elements, we most often carry out the surgical treatment of small bowel diverticula by laparoscopy during a hospital stay of 5 to 7 days.

What is your journey through small bowel surgery for diverticulitis?

After having met your surgeon, who confirmed that it was necessary to remove this segment of small intestine bearing this or these diverticula which were or are the cause of pain, fever, abscess or peritonitis, you meet your anesthesiologist who will ensure that anesthesia is possible.

You must fast for a few hours before the operation. If you take medication on a daily basis, you should discuss this with your surgeon and your anesthetist, who may want you to take some of your medication on the morning of the procedure with a background of water. If you take aspirin or medication to thin your blood, tell your surgeon and your anesthesiologist.

The Charcot clinic team (Lyon) welcomes you during admission the day before the intervention when it is scheduled or urgently if your condition justifies it, it checks the administrative formalities, ensures that there is no new information and that the instructions given before the intervention (shower, fasting, etc.) have been followed.
Then you are taken to the operating room in the operating room, your surgeon, your anesthetist surrounded by their team welcome you and carry out the usual checks (identity, compliance with instructions, etc.).

Once asleep, your surgeon, aided by a camera and instruments passing through trocars, will control the artery supplying the segment of intestine and remove the diseased segment of small intestine. like a pipe of which a piece is cut in the middle to remove it and for which a weld is made which allows the pipe to be reused, your surgeon, after having removed the segment of diseased small intestine, will make a seam in order to restore continuity to your intestine.

The duration of the procedure varies from 1 to 2 hours and depends on the difficulty that your surgeon may encounter depending on the state of your intestine and the inflammation of the abdominal cavity. A blade can sometimes be put in place, it will be gradually withdrawn like the urinary catheter.

Once awake, after a few hours in the recovery room, you return to your room. A nurse on the ward makes sure that you are not in too much pain, that you are not nauseous or vomiting, that you gradually come to your senses. A snack is served. Your surgeon comes by at the end of the day to make sure that you are well, authorize the gradual resumption of food (first a few drinks then solid food) and give you post-operative instructions. A hospital stay of 5 to 7 days is necessary.

What are the days after small intestine surgery like?

Usually, this intervention is not very painful and the pain responds well to simple analgesics (paracetamol) which will also be prescribed to you when you leave the hospital. You can get up the evening of the operation or the next day at the latest. You can drink from the evening of the operation and gradually resume a normal diet.

Recovery may sometimes be necessary.

Once at home, you can gradually resume your daily activities and light activity.

A work stoppage of 2 to 4 weeks will be prescribed for you (taking into account the particularities of your work)

Pain under the ribs, towards the shoulders may appear the day after the operation. They are due to laparoscopic gases. These pains always disappear in 24-48 hours.

One month after the operation, you go to your post-operative consultation. Your surgeon then authorizes you to resume your physical and sporting activities.

What complications can arise after small intestine surgery?

The removal of a segment of small intestine is a frequent intervention whose technique is precise, but as with any operation certain complications can occur: a reaction to anesthesia, bleeding, a wound of an abdominal organ, especially when surgical dissection is difficult.

Local changes discovered during the operation or the appearance of an unexpected complication may lead your surgeon to modify the operation initially planned in order to do everything possible to remedy the difficulties encountered. The laparoscopic approach can also be converted into a laparotomy (conventional surgery with a scar on either side of the navel). Sometimes the state of your intestine can make it dangerous for you to perform a seam or suture that would allow the restoration of digestive continuity. Then, a temporary artificial anus (or stoma) can be made to allow you a speedy recovery.

The intestine is “inhabited” by millions of bacteria allowing digestion, it remains a fragile organ. In the days following the intervention, the quality of healing of the anastomosis on the small intestine (or suture allowing the restoration of digestive continuity) will be monitored.

A fistula (rupture of the anastomosis) on the small intestine can occur in 5% of cases, according to the scientific literature. This rupture of the anastomosis can occur in the days following the intervention and require a new operation with the making of a temporary artificial anus. The ureter which conducts urine from the kidney to the bladder is very close to the intestine and can sometimes be injured, requiring specific treatment.

A wall abscess may occur and require nursing care. The list of complications described is not exhaustive, but it is important to understand that one of the objectives of the preoperative consultation is to allow your surgeon to weigh the risks that you would take by not having surgery against the risks inherent in an intervention. If an indication for surgery has been selected, unlike cosmetic surgery, it is because there would be more risk in not performing this intervention. If in doubt, do not hesitate to ask your surgeon for clarification. The complications described may make you anxious, but they remain exceptional thanks to a precise technique.

What to do in case of problems at home after a resection anastomosis of the small intestine for diverticulitis?

You absolutely must contact your surgeon in case of persistent fever, or abdominal pain that resists the medication prescribed after the operation, persistent nausea or vomiting; persistent cough or difficulty breathing or discharge from an incision.

When you leave, the documents provided by your surgeon and/or the department nurses include the telephone number of the surgery secretariat and the telephone number of the general practitioner on call (7 days a week, 24 hours a day) working at the Charcot clinic. (Lyon) he may, if he deems it necessary, hospitalize you. Do not hesitate to contact us.

Post-operative advice after small intestine surgery

Resume very light activity, walking is allowed, avoid driving for 5 days. It is normal for the surgical area to be painful at first and will remain sensitive for some time. This should not prevent you from moving, walking and carrying out the acts of daily life.

During your recovery:

  1. Precautions
  • It is advisable to take showers (the bath is to be avoided for a month).
  • Do not carry heavy loads (for at least one month).
  • On prescription from your anesthesiologist: wearing compression stockings and anticoagulant
  • In case of laparotomy: an abdominal belt will be prescribed and must be worn until the next consultation.
  • In case of exposure to the sun, provide protection against UV (total sunscreen cream) the best solution is to wear clean clothing to cover the scar.
  • Avoid practicing sport until the next consultation.

 

  1. Bandages
  • You have to leave the scars exposed. There is no need to bring in a nurse.
  • The threads on your scar are absorbable, they can get wet and will disappear on their own. After your shower, pat the scars dry with a clean towel.

 

  1. Diet

Food can be resumed without restriction, but in moderation. There is no particular diet to follow.

What is the small intestine (or small intestine)? Role of surgery in the treatment of small bowel tumors

What is the small intestine or small intestine?

The small intestine is the segment of the digestive tract extending from the pylorus to the large intestine (colon). It is located in the abdominal cavity in the center of the abdomen. It is in this long and narrow part of the digestive tract that most of the digestion takes place.

The small intestine consists of three parts: the duodenum which is fixed while the jejunum and the ileum are mobile.

The duodenum extends from the pylorus, terminal part of the stomach, to the duodeno-jejunal angle. It is located to the right and below the stomach, in front of the spine (L1 and L2 lumbar vertebrae) and the large vessels of the abdomen. The duodenum, which is often compared to an open frame on the left side, surrounds the head of the pancreas.

The jejunum and ileum are the moving parts of the small intestine. They extend from the duodeno-jejunal angle (end of the duodenum) to the cecum (beginning of the large intestine or colon). The small intestine is placed in the center of the abdominal cavity, measures 6-7 meters.

Why an operation on the small intestine or small intestine?

Surgery is the main treatment for cancer of the small intestine. It makes it possible on the one hand to cure this cancer by completely removing the tumor from the small intestine and on the other hand to relieve the symptoms induced by the presence of this tumor (occlusion, pain, bleeding).

A cancer of the small intestine has been discovered or a potentially malignant tumor of the intestine (endocrine tumor, stromal tumor or GIST) and this must be analyzed. Then an operation is the only possibility.

The type of surgery performed depends mainly on the type of tumors (cancer, endocrine tumor, stromal tumor, GIST), the size of the tumor, its location. The side effects of surgery depend on the type of surgery performed.

What is your journey during small intestine surgery?

It is important to know that different doctors practicing in different disciplines (surgeon, anesthesiologist, gastroenterologist, cardiologist, oncologist, radiologist, radiotherapist, pathologist) will work as a team to ensure your treatment, this is called multidisciplinary treatment.

This guarantees the meeting of all the essential skills for your treatment to be optimal. You will therefore be put in contact with different doctors during your treatment.

The choice of the type of treatment as well as the prognosis (chance of recovery) depends on the situation and the evolutionary stage of the tumour: is it only the intestinal mucosa that is affected or the entire intestinal wall? Are there extensions in neighboring tissues or in distant tissues (lymphatic node, liver, lungs, …)?

What type of tumor is it? What is his size ? What is your state of health? To determine all this, additional examinations will be carried out such as a CT scan, a colonoscopy, an additional blood test, etc.

After discussion by the multidisciplinary team, your doctor will discuss the results of these various examinations and the follow-up for your treatment with you. It is possible for you to bring a member of your family during this information of the results. The results of the examinations provide information on the nature and extent of the condition. This does not presage consequences and evolution. The results of the various examinations make it possible to determine the optimal methods of your care and this according to the recommendations of care issued by the health authorities.

Thus, the team taking care of you can perform surgery straight away, sometimes followed by chemotherapy (called adjuvant).

Preparing for small bowel surgery?

Communicate your personal treatment to your doctor and inform yourself about the drugs which must be stopped or on the contrary continued for the intervention. Don’t forget to mention drugs as innocent as Aspirin or osteoarthritis drugs because they can increase the risk of bleeding.

If you are allergic to specific drugs (eg iodine, aspirin, antibiotics, etc.), you should tell your doctor.

You will meet the anesthesiologist. He will answer all your questions about anesthesia.

In very rare cases it is necessary to clean the small intestine before the intervention by laxatives via the absorption of an oral solution allowing a washing of the entire intestine. In case of very severe constipation or during an emergency intervention, this preparation may not be possible.

During a bowel operation you will also receive antibiotics to prevent infection of the surgical wound and stomach if possible.

If it is necessary before the operation, your doctor or stoma therapist will come and determine with you the most appropriate site for a possible ileostomy (rarely necessary).

How is small intestine surgery performed?

For an intervention on the small intestine or small intestine you must be hospitalized and the operation is carried out under general anesthesia.

Usually the operation is performed by laparoscopy (several centimeter incisions and an incision of about 5 cm to extract the segment of intestine to be analyzed from the belly), but sometimes a classic incision in the abdomen (or laparotomy) may be necessary. Your surgeon will use the technique which in your case seems the most appropriate and the safest.

There are several types of operations possible on the small intestine or small intestine. Your surgeon will discuss with you the type of procedure they are likely to perform. Sometimes in the case of an operation on the intestine, it is necessary to set up a stoma (abutment of the intestine to the skin, artificial anus, “pocket”). A temporary stoma is usually closed after 2 to 3 months. This is a second intervention which nevertheless is less heavy.

During the operation the part of the small intestine where the tumor is located is removed with the widest possible safety margin (passing away from the tumor). Then the two ends of the intestine are sutured together (with needles and threads or using an automatic suturing device called a stapler). An intestinal suture is called an anastomosis.

Whatever the type of operation that will be carried out at your home by the surgeon, this one will remove in addition to the diseased intestinal segment, the surrounding fatty tissue which contains vessels in which there are lymph nodes to reduce the risk of tumor recurrence in the surgical field. This also determines the length of the intestinal segment that will be removed.

It may also be indicated to remove part or all of another organ at the same time or if they are affected by the tumor (liver, colon, bladder). This is not always easy to determine with certainty before the operation.

In more advanced cases, surgery may not aim to cure but to reduce the symptom due to the tumor (occlusion).

What complications can arise after small intestine surgery?

There is no operation without risk. After an operation of the intestine there are complications such as thromboses, postoperative bleeding, infections of the operating site, damage to neighboring organs or pulmonary infections.

Your general condition can obviously have a very important influence on the progress of the operation and on the risks associated with the operation. Do not hesitate to discuss this with your doctor and do not hesitate to give him all the information that may be necessary on this subject (previous illnesses, treatments used).

When it comes to bowel surgery, there are a few specific complications that are possible. A serious complication is the loosening of the intestinal suture (anastomosis). This can lead to peritonitis and in this case, this must be followed by a new operation during which the anastomosis is possibly disassembled and a diversion of the stools carried out by a stoma in principle temporary.

It is also possible that during the dissection other organs may be damaged. Necessary measures must be taken so that each bleeding or each breach or tear in an organ is repaired in a safe manner.

Scar infections occur much more easily than usual in colonic surgery and result in delayed scar healing.

The enumeration of complications which has just been reported is not exhaustive, but it provides information on the most important and most frequent complications.

An operation on the intestine is a serious operation for which there is a vital risk during the hospital stay. The risk of the operation is determined by various factors: the location and size of the tumour, invasion or spread into other organs, whether or not there are complications, your general condition, etc It is not easy to precisely determine the risk for each patient before the operation. The mortality risk is between 3 and 5%. If an indication for surgery has been retained, unlike cosmetic surgery, it is very likely that there would be more risk in postponing an intervention (occlusion or metastatic dissemination). If in doubt on your part, do not hesitate to ask your surgeon for clarification.

How are the days following small intestine surgery?

After a few hours in the recovery room, you will return to your hospitalization unit for monitoring. Usually, this procedure responds well to painkillers.

Pain under the ribs or towards the shoulders may appear the day after the operation. They are due to laparoscopic gases. These pains always disappear in 24-48 hours.

In the days following the operation you can gradually resume drinks and then later liquid food and then solid food. We will remove the catheters that allowed us to hydrate you and soothe your pain.

You are given the first few days to drink and eat according to what your digestive system can tolerate. After certain very specific operations on the intestine, the intestinal transit can be temporarily modified with, for example, diarrhea, more frequent needs or more difficult evacuation or constipation or even occlusion. Most often these phenomena are only transient and the functioning of the intestine normalizes. Sometimes, however, these abnormalities are more persistent and may require drug treatment.

When you leave (after 5 to 7 days of hospitalization in the absence of complications), pain medication will be prescribed, sometimes a home nurse will be needed and you will gradually resume your daily activities and light activity. A work stoppage of 4 weeks will be prescribed for you (taking into account the particularities of your work).

One month after the operation, you go to your post-operative consultation. Your surgeon will then authorize you to resume your physical and sporting activities.

What about after surgery for a malignant (cancer) or potentially malignant (endocrine tumor, stromal tumor or GIST) tumor of the small intestine?

  • The results of the microscopic examination of the surgical specimen will be communicated to you during your hospitalization or during the postoperative consultation after one month.
  • The results of the pathological examination provide information on the nature of the cancer and its extension. This does not prejudge the consequences and the evolution. With these results additional treatment may be necessary.

Regular follow-up with clinical examination, blood test and scanner will be organised.

Post-operative advice after small intestine surgery

Resume very light activity, walking is allowed, avoid driving for 5 days. It is normal for the surgical area to be painful at first and will remain sensitive for some time. This should not prevent you from moving, walking and carrying out the acts of daily life.

During your recovery:

  1. Precautions
  • It is advisable to take showers (the bath is to be avoided for a month).
  • Do not carry heavy loads (for at least one month).
  • On prescription from your anesthesiologist: wearing compression stockings and anticoagulant
  • In case of laparotomy: an abdominal belt will be prescribed and must be worn until the next consultation.
  • In case of exposure to the sun, provide protection against UV (total sunscreen cream) the best solution is to wear clean clothing to cover the scar.
  • Avoid practicing sport until the next consultation.

 

  1. Bandages
  • You have to leave the scars exposed. There is no need to bring in a nurse.
  • The threads on your scar are absorbable, they can get wet and will disappear on their own. After your shower, pat the scars dry with a clean towel.

 

  1. Diet

Food can be resumed without restriction, but in moderation. There is no particular diet to follow.

What is the small intestine (or small intestine)? Role of surgery in the treatment of small bowel tumors

What is the small intestine or small intestine?

The small intestine is the segment of the digestive tract extending from the pylorus to the large intestine (colon). It is located in the abdominal cavity in the center of the abdomen. It is in this long and narrow part of the digestive tract that most of the digestion takes place.

The small intestine consists of three parts: the duodenum which is fixed while the jejunum and the ileum are mobile.

The duodenum extends from the pylorus, terminal part of the stomach, to the duodeno-jejunal angle. It is located to the right and below the stomach, in front of the spine (L1 and L2 lumbar vertebrae) and the large vessels of the abdomen. The duodenum, which is often compared to an open frame on the left side, surrounds the head of the pancreas.

The jejunum and ileum are the moving parts of the small intestine. They extend from the duodeno-jejunal angle (end of the duodenum) to the cecum (beginning of the large intestine or colon). The small intestine is placed in the center of the abdominal cavity, measures 6-7 meters.

Why an operation on the small intestine or small intestine?

Surgery is the main treatment for cancer of the small intestine. It makes it possible on the one hand to cure this cancer by completely removing the tumor from the small intestine and on the other hand to relieve the symptoms induced by the presence of this tumor (occlusion, pain, bleeding).

A cancer of the small intestine has been discovered or a potentially malignant tumor of the intestine (endocrine tumor, stromal tumor or GIST) and this must be analyzed. Then an operation is the only possibility.

The type of surgery performed depends mainly on the type of tumors (cancer, endocrine tumor, stromal tumor, GIST), the size of the tumor, its location. The side effects of surgery depend on the type of surgery performed.

What is your journey during small intestine surgery?

It is important to know that different doctors practicing in different disciplines (surgeon, anesthesiologist, gastroenterologist, cardiologist, oncologist, radiologist, radiotherapist, pathologist) will work as a team to ensure your treatment, this is called multidisciplinary treatment.

This guarantees the meeting of all the essential skills for your treatment to be optimal. You will therefore be put in contact with different doctors during your treatment.

The choice of the type of treatment as well as the prognosis (chance of recovery) depends on the situation and the evolutionary stage of the tumour: is it only the intestinal mucosa that is affected or the entire intestinal wall? Are there extensions in neighboring tissues or in distant tissues (lymphatic node, liver, lungs, …)?

What type of tumor is it? What is his size ? What is your state of health? To determine all this, additional examinations will be carried out such as a CT scan, a colonoscopy, an additional blood test, etc.

After discussion by the multidisciplinary team, your doctor will discuss the results of these various examinations and the follow-up for your treatment with you. It is possible for you to bring a member of your family during this information of the results. The results of the examinations provide information on the nature and extent of the condition. This does not presage consequences and evolution. The results of the various examinations make it possible to determine the optimal methods of your care and this according to the recommendations of care issued by the health authorities.

Thus, the team taking care of you can perform surgery straight away, sometimes followed by chemotherapy (called adjuvant).

Preparing for small bowel surgery?

Communicate your personal treatment to your doctor and inform yourself about the drugs which must be stopped or on the contrary continued for the intervention. Don’t forget to mention drugs as innocent as Aspirin or osteoarthritis drugs because they can increase the risk of bleeding.

If you are allergic to specific drugs (eg iodine, aspirin, antibiotics, etc.), you should tell your doctor.

You will meet the anesthesiologist. He will answer all your questions about anesthesia.

In very rare cases it is necessary to clean the small intestine before the intervention by laxatives via the absorption of an oral solution allowing a washing of the entire intestine. In case of very severe constipation or during an emergency intervention, this preparation may not be possible.

During a bowel operation you will also receive antibiotics to prevent infection of the surgical wound and stomach if possible.

If it is necessary before the operation, your doctor or stoma therapist will come and determine with you the most appropriate site for a possible ileostomy (rarely necessary).

How is small intestine surgery performed?

For an intervention on the small intestine or small intestine you must be hospitalized and the operation is carried out under general anesthesia.

Usually the operation is performed by laparoscopy (several centimeter incisions and an incision of about 5 cm to extract the segment of intestine to be analyzed from the belly), but sometimes a classic incision in the abdomen (or laparotomy) may be necessary. Your surgeon will use the technique which in your case seems the most appropriate and the safest.

There are several types of operations possible on the small intestine or small intestine. Your surgeon will discuss with you the type of procedure they are likely to perform. Sometimes in the case of an operation on the intestine, it is necessary to set up a stoma (abutment of the intestine to the skin, artificial anus, “pocket”). A temporary stoma is usually closed after 2 to 3 months. This is a second intervention which nevertheless is less heavy.

During the operation the part of the small intestine where the tumor is located is removed with the widest possible safety margin (passing away from the tumor). Then the two ends of the intestine are sutured together (with needles and threads or using an automatic suturing device called a stapler). An intestinal suture is called an anastomosis.

Whatever the type of operation that will be carried out at your home by the surgeon, this one will remove in addition to the diseased intestinal segment, the surrounding fatty tissue which contains vessels in which there are lymph nodes to reduce the risk of tumor recurrence in the surgical field. This also determines the length of the intestinal segment that will be removed.

It may also be indicated to remove part or all of another organ at the same time or if they are affected by the tumor (liver, colon, bladder). This is not always easy to determine with certainty before the operation.

In more advanced cases, surgery may not aim to cure but to reduce the symptom due to the tumor (occlusion).

What complications can arise after small intestine surgery?

There is no operation without risk. After an operation of the intestine there are complications such as thromboses, postoperative bleeding, infections of the operating site, damage to neighboring organs or pulmonary infections.

Your general condition can obviously have a very important influence on the progress of the operation and on the risks associated with the operation. Do not hesitate to discuss this with your doctor and do not hesitate to give him all the information that may be necessary on this subject (previous illnesses, treatments used).

When it comes to bowel surgery, there are a few specific complications that are possible. A serious complication is the loosening of the intestinal suture (anastomosis). This can lead to peritonitis and in this case, this must be followed by a new operation during which the anastomosis is possibly disassembled and a diversion of the stools carried out by a stoma in principle temporary.

It is also possible that during the dissection other organs may be damaged. Necessary measures must be taken so that each bleeding or each breach or tear in an organ is repaired in a safe manner.

Scar infections occur much more easily than usual in colonic surgery and result in delayed scar healing.

The enumeration of complications which has just been reported is not exhaustive, but it provides information on the most important and most frequent complications.

An operation on the intestine is a serious operation for which there is a vital risk during the hospital stay. The risk of the operation is determined by various factors: the location and size of the tumour, invasion or spread into other organs, whether or not there are complications, your general condition, etc It is not easy to precisely determine the risk for each patient before the operation. The mortality risk is between 3 and 5%. If an indication for surgery has been retained, unlike cosmetic surgery, it is very likely that there would be more risk in postponing an intervention (occlusion or metastatic dissemination). If in doubt on your part, do not hesitate to ask your surgeon for clarification.

How are the days following small intestine surgery?

After a few hours in the recovery room, you will return to your hospitalization unit for monitoring. Usually, this procedure responds well to painkillers.

Pain under the ribs or towards the shoulders may appear the day after the operation. They are due to laparoscopic gases. These pains always disappear in 24-48 hours.

In the days following the operation you can gradually resume drinks and then later liquid food and then solid food. We will remove the catheters that allowed us to hydrate you and soothe your pain.

You are given the first few days to drink and eat according to what your digestive system can tolerate. After certain very specific operations on the intestine, the intestinal transit can be temporarily modified with, for example, diarrhea, more frequent needs or more difficult evacuation or constipation or even occlusion. Most often these phenomena are only transient and the functioning of the intestine normalizes. Sometimes, however, these abnormalities are more persistent and may require drug treatment.

When you leave (after 5 to 7 days of hospitalization in the absence of complications), pain medication will be prescribed, sometimes a home nurse will be needed and you will gradually resume your daily activities and light activity. A work stoppage of 4 weeks will be prescribed for you (taking into account the particularities of your work).

One month after the operation, you go to your post-operative consultation. Your surgeon will then authorize you to resume your physical and sporting activities.

What about after surgery for a malignant (cancer) or potentially malignant (endocrine tumor, stromal tumor or GIST) tumor of the small intestine?

  • The results of the microscopic examination of the surgical specimen will be communicated to you during your hospitalization or during the postoperative consultation after one month.
  • The results of the pathological examination provide information on the nature of the cancer and its extension. This does not prejudge the consequences and the evolution. With these results additional treatment may be necessary.

Regular follow-up with clinical examination, blood test and scanner will be organised.

What to do in case of problems at home after small intestine surgery?

You must absolutely contact your surgeon in the event of persistent fever or abdominal pain that resists the medication prescribed after the intervention, the persistence of nausea, vomiting, discharge from an incision or stoppage of transit.

When you leave, the documents provided by your surgeon and/or the department nurses include the telephone number of the surgery secretariat and the telephone number of the general practitioner on call (7 days a week, 24 hours a day) working at the Charcot clinic. (Lyon) he may, if he deems it necessary, hospitalize you. Do not hesitate to contact us.

Post-operative advice after small intestine surgery

Resume very light activity, walking is allowed, avoid driving for 5 days. It is normal for the surgical area to be painful at first and will remain sensitive for some time. This should not prevent you from moving, walking and carrying out the acts of daily life.

During your recovery:

  1. Precautions
  • It is advisable to take showers (the bath is to be avoided for a month).
  • Do not carry heavy loads (for at least one month).
  • On prescription from your anesthesiologist: wearing compression stockings (for the entire duration of the anticoagulant treatment).
  • In case of laparotomy: an abdominal belt (until the next consultation) will be prescribed for you and must be worn until the next consultation.
  • In case of exposure to the sun, provide protection against UV (total sunscreen cream) the best solution is to wear clean clothing to cover the scar.
  • Avoid practicing sport until the next consultation.

 

  1. Bandages
  • You have to leave the scars exposed. There is no need to bring in a nurse.
  • The threads on your scar are absorbable, they can get wet and will disappear on their own. After your shower, pat the scars dry with a clean towel.

 

3. Diet

Food can be resumed without restriction, but in moderation.

Post-operative advice after small intestine surgery

Resume very light activity, walking is allowed, avoid driving for 5 days. It is normal for the surgical area to be painful at first and will remain sensitive for some time. This should not prevent you from moving, walking and carrying out the acts of daily life.

During your recovery:

  1. Precautions
  • It is advisable to take showers (the bath is to be avoided for a month).
  • Do not carry heavy loads (for at least one month).
  • On prescription from your anesthesiologist: wearing compression stockings and anticoagulant
  • In case of laparotomy: an abdominal belt will be prescribed and must be worn until the next consultation.
  • In case of exposure to the sun, provide protection against UV (total sunscreen cream) the best solution is to wear clean clothing to cover the scar.
  • Avoid practicing sport until the next consultation.

 

  1. Bandages
  • You have to leave the scars exposed. There is no need to bring in a nurse.
  • The threads on your scar are absorbable, they can get wet and will disappear on their own. After your shower, pat the scars dry with a clean towel.

 

  1. Diet

Food can be resumed without restriction, but in moderation. There is no particular diet to follow.

Smoking increases the risk of surgical complications. Quitting smoking 6-8 weeks before the procedure eliminates this additional risk. If you smoke, talk to your doctor, your surgeon and your anesthetist or call the Tobacco-Info-Service line at 39 89 to help you reduce the risks and put the odds in your favor.