Life after colectomy

Abstract

Animal and epidemiologic studies have raised hopes that effective chemoprevention of colorectal cancer in very high-risk patients may be possible in the future, but at present, the only established effective way to prevent colorectal cancer in very high-risk patients is colectomy. Advances in surgical techniques, improvements in stomal appliances, and medical advances in dealing with complications of colorectal surgery (such as impotence) have contributed to substantial improvements in the quality of life of patients who have had prophylactic colectomies.