Colon polyps are abnormal growths of tissue that arise in the large intestine, or colon. Normally these polyps are not dangerous, but occasionally polyps can develop into a type of colon cancer. In order to determine whether these polyps are cancerous they must be tested. Usually polyps are asymptomatic, but occasionally they can cause symptoms such as blood in the stool or chronic constipation and diarrhea. Proper treatment for cancerous polyps must be given in order to prevent complications.
Polyp Removal During Colonoscopy
Most of the polyps that need to be removed from the colon can be removed during a colonoscopy procedure, reports the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. A colonoscopy is a procedure in which a camera attached to a small tube is inserted into the rectum. The primary aim of the procedure is to look for any abnormalities in the patient's large intestine. If a suspicious polyp is seen, then the doctor can slip a thin wire loop around the stalk of the polyp and cut it off from the surrounding tissue. The wound is cauterized to prevent bleeding before the cancerous polyp is removed from the patient's colon. The polyp can then be examined for the type of cancer and its severity. Risks of this type of polyp removal include bleeding or damage to the wall of the colon.
Laparoscopic Polypectomy
If polyps are too large to be removed during a colonoscopy, doctors may decide to remove the polyp using laparoscopic techniques, states MayoClinic.com. The procedure is called a laparoscopic polypectomy, or polyp removal. First, the surgeon makes several small incisions in the abdominal wall. Then a small camera and instruments are inserted into these small openings. Using these instruments and the visual field provided by the camera, the surgeon removes the polyp. This type of surgery can effectively remove the cancerous polyp and prevent polyps from recurring in that area of the colon. There is a chance, however, that polyps will recur in other sites in the colon.
Colectomy
In rare cases, patients may have multiple cancerous or pre-cancerous polyps in their colon. In these patients, removal of each polyp one by one would be time-consuming, dangerous to the patient and may not be curative. Therefore, surgeons may elect to completely remove part of the colon, which is a procedure called a colectomy. The surgeons will create a single large incision on the patient's abdomen and then carefully remove the part of the colon with the multiple polyps. Colectomies can cause patients to develop frequent watery bowel movements, but normal digestion is not adversely affected. A successful colectomy removes all of the cancerous polyps within the colon.
