Colorectal Cancer Surgery

The Condition and Treatment

Colorectal cancer — cancer of the colon or rectum — is the third most common form of cancer for both men and women.¹ Each year in the United States, more than 150,000 men and women are diagnosed with colorectal cancer.²

Typically, colorectal cancer forms in the lining of the intestinal wall and may then spread to lymph nodes or other organs over time. Colorectal cancer symptoms may include: blood present with stool, inability to have a bowel movement, pelvic pain, narrowing of the stool, unexplained weight loss, bloating and persistent chronic fatigue.

Surgery is usually the main treatment for colorectal cancer. The primary procedure calls for surgical resection of a segment of the colon or rectum (low anterior resection - LARS). The digestive tract is then reconnected by a technique called an intestinal anastomosis. These procedures remove the cancer, while typically preserving normal bowel function.

Most colorectal surgery is performed via a large open abdominal incision, which may extend from the pubic bone to just below the sternum. Open colorectal cancer surgery can be quite painful for the patient, involving an increased risk of infection and requiring an extended hospital stay.

A New Category in Minimally Invasive Surgery
Thanks to the latest evolution in surgical technology, physicians now have an effective alternative to traditional open surgery and laparoscopy that allows them to provide patients with the best of both approaches. With the assistance of the da Vinci® Surgical System, surgeons can now operate using only 1-2 cm incisions, but with greater precision and control than ever before.

Learn More

To learn more about da Vinci Colorectal Surgeries utilizing the da Vinci Surgical System, click here.