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Operations
Although it is often helpful to talk about major and minor operations,
it should be remembered that all surgery is a major undertaking with
associated risks and it should not be undertaken lightly. There are
however, some procedures which are relatively straight forward and in
which the potential risks are lower. These procedures may be performed
under a local or general anaesthetic with admission to hospital
lasting less than 24 hours. Endoscopic procedures in which the colon
or oesophagus and stomach are visualised with a fibre-optic
“telescope” and small lesions such as polyps can be removed also carry
risks, although these are very small, and are usually performed as a
day case under sedation
Endoscopic Procedures:
These procedures are generally performed under intra-venous sedation
in which the patient is made drowsy but not fully asleep. Afterwards
patients are usually ready to go home within an hour or two.
 Major Procedures:
These operations generally require 1-2 weeks in hospital in-order to
recover and include surgery for:
- Colon or rectal cancer
- Crohn’s disease
- Diverticular disease
- Intestinal obstruction
- Intestinal perforation
- Rectal prolapse
- Ulcerative colitis
“Minor” Procedures
These operations are generally undertaken using local anaesthetic or
under general anaesthetic as a day case procedure and include surgery
for:
- Removal of “moles” and skin lumps
- Hernia repair
- Cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder)
- Appendicitis
- Drainage of an abscess
- Anal fistula
- Anal fissure
- Haemorrhoids (Piles)
- Pilonidal sinus
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