Signs & Symptoms of Sigmoid Colon Resection

A sigmoid colon resection is a surgical procedure in which the sigmoid colon, or a portion of it, is removed. This procedure is done to help treat several different gastrointestinal disorders, such as cancer and Crohn's disease. Patients who have this surgical procedure are at risk for experiencing complications.

Pain

• After every surgery, most patients will experience some degree of discomfort or pain. However, if the pain is abnormally severe or not lessened by comfort measures or pain medications, the patient should tell his doctor.

Bleeding or Drainage

• Bleeding at the incision site should not occur with a sigmoid colon resection. According to the SurgeryChannel.com, patients should not experience swelling or drainage at the incision site either. Abnormal drainage includes pus. If pus and swelling are accompanied by a sudden fever, it may indicate an infection.

Internal Infection

• Patients may experience an internal infection or a pelvic abscess, according to MD Guidelines.com. If an infection occurs, the patient may experience sudden fever and pain or tenderness at the surgery site. A pelvic abscess occurs when pus accumulates at one of the internal incision sites. This is associated with an infection.

Internal Suture Complications

• Certain complications may occur at the internal suture sites, such as a leakage in the area where sutures join the intestines. Some patients may experience a fistula, which occurs when an abnormal tube-like passage develops at a suture site. Patients may also experience a stricture, which occurs when the area in which the intestines were joined by sutures becomes narrowed.

Recurrence

• Some patients may not experience an alleviation of their disease when they have this surgery. Regardless of what gastrointestinal disease caused the need for the resection, there is still a chance that the disease may reoccur after surgery or that the disease may not be correctly treated.