Rectal cancer surgery and bowel function

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by Guest Posts on Sat Apr 01, 2017 9:00 am

Rectal cancer surgery and bowel function

On behalf of a guest member:
Hello, my husband recently underwent rectal cancer surgery and I was wondering what quality of bowel function and other pelvic functions can we expect now?

Looking forward to your response.

Jane
talkhealth team on behalf of a guest visitor

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Dr Jamal Hayat
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by Dr Jamal Hayat on Wed Apr 05, 2017 11:57 pm

Re: Rectal cancer surgery and bowel function

Dear Jane, I hope he is recovering well, a tough thing to go through mentally and physically. Regards to the quality of his bowel function this may partly related to exactly what surgery he had done and how much of his bowel was removed. There is every chance his bowel function will be normal or close to normal. There is a chance that the stool will be looser and he will have to go more frequently - particularly if more of his large bowel was removed. This can be improved by modifying his diet (usually with a high fibre) and sometimes with medications. With regards to pelvic complications, whilst rare there is a small risk of infertility and erectile dysfunction, as well as difficulty passing urine. Apart from treating the cancer, the aim of his treatment will be keep bowel and bladder function to as normal as possible. He should have regular follow up and access to a specialist nurse to assess symptoms, and he will require regular check ups (usually with blood tests/ CAT scan and interval colonoscopies) to ensure the cancer does not come back.

Further information:
https://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/
Dr Jamal Hayat
Consultant Gastroenterologist

http://www.talkhealthpartnership.com/on ... _hayat.php

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