A left hemicolectomy is a common surgery for colorectal cancer.
This surgery removes a portion of the transverse colon, the descending colon, and the sigmoid colon, and then connects the transverse colon to the rectum. Some lymph nodes and surrounding tissue are also removed.
Your surgeon may perform your hemicolectomy as an open surgery, laparoscopic surgery, or robotic-assisted surgery.
The technique will depend on:
It's important to talk to your surgeon about your specific case and whether you will need a colostomy.
Some left hemicolectomy surgeries do not require a stoma if the surgeon is able to connect the two ends of the colon together. The part of the colon that is joined is called an anastomosis.
After left hemicolectomy surgery:
Risks of any surgery depend on several factors, including your overall health and the extent of the surgery.
Problems are rare but can include:
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