Keyhole surgery
Laparoscopic hemicolectomy
Keyhole removal of the right or left half of the large intestine, with its lymph nodes — most often for a tumour in that part of the colon.
In plain language
What this operation is
A hemicolectomy removes one side of the large intestine. Which side depends on where the problem is: a right hemicolectomy takes the ascending colon and the junction with the small bowel; a left hemicolectomy takes the descending colon.
The two ends are then joined so the bowel remains continuous. As with any cancer operation on the colon, the fatty tissue carrying the draining lymph nodes is removed with the specimen.
Who it is for
When this operation is advised
- A tumour in the right or left side of the colon
- Large polyps in that segment that cannot be removed endoscopically
- Some complicated inflammatory or diverticular disease affecting one side
And when it is not. Where the tumour is very large, fixed to surrounding structures, or where scarring is dense, an open operation may be the safer route.
How it works
From assessment to follow-up
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01
Staging first
Colonoscopy and biopsy confirm the diagnosis; CT imaging establishes the stage. The plan follows from these.
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02
The plan
Which side, how much bowel, and how the join will be made — agreed before booking.
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03
The operation
Through small ports where suitable. The segment and its lymph nodes are removed and the bowel rejoined.
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04
Pathology
Examination of the specimen confirms the final stage and guides any further treatment.
Afterwards
What recovery involves
Recovery differs between patients. What follows is what usually happens — your own timeframe is given at discharge, based on the operation you actually had.
- Hospital stay is measured in days rather than hours.
- Eating is reintroduced in stages once the bowel begins working again.
- Bowel habit commonly changes for a period afterwards and usually settles.
- Follow-up includes review of the pathology report and a plan for surveillance.
When to go to hospital instead
A swollen, painful abdomen with no passage of wind or stool after surgery needs urgent assessment — contact the hospital rather than waiting.
Common questions
Questions patients ask
Anything not covered here can be answered at the consultation.
01 What is the difference between a colectomy and a hemicolectomy?
A hemicolectomy is a colectomy of one particular half — right or left. “Colectomy” is the general term for removing a segment of colon; a hemicolectomy specifies which side, and that determines exactly what is taken with it.
Definitions02 Why is so much bowel removed for a small tumour?
The extent is set by the blood supply and the lymph nodes, not by the size of the tumour. Cancer spreads along those channels, so the segment they serve is removed together — that is what makes it a cancer operation rather than simply taking out a lump.
Extent03 Will I need a stoma?
Usually not — the bowel is rejoined. In certain circumstances a temporary stoma protects the join while it heals. Whether that is a possibility in your case is discussed before surgery.
StomaNext step
Bring your reports to a consultation
Often one visit is enough to know whether an operation is needed at all.