Ulcerative Colitis Surgery in Kansas City

At Colorectal Surgical Associates we offer the most up-to-date care for patients with ulcerative colitis and will determine if surgical treatment is right for you. If you are experiencing symptoms of ulcerative colitis, please call (816) 941-0800 to meet with our colorectal surgeons today. Colorectal Surgical Associates has four convenient locations for patients located in Kansas City, including Gladstone, Overland Park, Independence, and Lee’s Summit.

There are various types of surgery to treat ulcerative colitis, all major surgery on the digestive system. These are:

• Colectomy – This removes the entire colon.
• Hemicolectomy – This removes part of the colon. There are two types, depending on the problem area. A right hemicolectomy removes the right or ascending part of the colon. The part that is left is connected to the small intestine. A left hemicolectomy removes the left or descending part of the colon. The right and middle parts of the colon will be attached to the rectum.
• Proctocolectomy – This removes both the colon and rectum. If the entire colon is removed, an opening (stoma) is created in the abdominal wall. The tip of the lower intestine is brought through the stoma, and an external bag is attached. Stools pass through the opening and collect in the pouch. This is called a permanent ileostomy. 
• J-pouch or Proctocolectomy with Ileal Pouch-Anal Anastomosis (IPAA) – This is our preferred surgery for ulcerative colitis patients because it restores bowel function, allowing the stool to pass through the anus. The surgery is done in 2 or 3 stages. If doing a two-stage procedure, stages 1 and 2 are combined with a temporary diverting loop ileostomy. The

Stage 1

Robotic total abdominal colectomy with end ileostomy – This removes the entire colon. The rectum remains in place and the ileum of the small intestine is brought out as a temporary ileostomy. The minimal amount of time between procedures is 3 months.

Stage 2

Robotic proctocolectomy with creation of the J-pouch – The rectum is removed, and the J- pouch is created from the ileum of the small intestine and attached to the anus.  A temporary loop ileostomy will be created to allow the J-pouch time to heal.

Stage 3

Ileostomy reversal – The ileostomy is reversed so that waste can eliminate through the normal anus. At Colorectal Surgical Associates, we use the da Vinci® minimally invasive robotic surgical system to substantially reduce the size of the incision, risk of infection, length of hospital stay, and recovery time. The da Vinci method also offers improved healing and reduced scarring. Dexterity and control are maximized using robotics for a minimally invasive approach to the surgical procedure.