Proctocolectomy is the
surgical removal of the
rectum
The rectum is the final straight portion of the large intestine in humans and some other mammals, and the Gastrointestinal tract, gut in others. The adult human rectum is about long, and begins at the rectosigmoid junction (the end of the s ...
and all or part of the
colon. It is the most widely accepted surgical method for
ulcerative colitis and
familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).
A proctocolectomy is considered a cure for ulcerative colitis, as the disease only attacks the large intestine and the rectum, and the disease cannot flare-up again, but extra-intestinal symptoms will remain. It can also be performed for
Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that may affect any segment of the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhea (which may be bloody if inflammation is severe), fever, abdominal distension ...
that has damaged the entire large intestine and caused complications, but it does not cure or eliminate the disease.
See also
*
List of surgeries by type
References
Digestive system surgery
Rectum
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