Top Ten frequently asked questions by colorectal patients before & after treatment

Depending on the type of the procedure being performed you will need to completely clean out your colon. Not all bowel surgery need bowel prep, If you are having a left-sided resection (such as anterior resection or left hemicolectomy) and some colostomy reversals you will have bowel preparation medication the day before surgery or you will have two enemas, one the night before the operation at 20:00 and the second between 05:00 and 07:00 on the day of your surgery. This will be confirmed in the outpatient clinic by the Enhanced Recovery Nurse.

Your surgeon will explain the how the operation went and the findings. You Have to wait for two weeks to get the pathology results.

The patient can ask the nurse to call next of kin to give an update about the surgery. At times the consultant or the registrar will contact the family if this was arranged prior surgery.

Where possible, doctors should establish with the patient what information they want shared, with whom, and in what circumstances. This is particularly important if the patient is likely to lose capacity to make decisions, or their capacity is fluctuating.

If a patient lacks capacity to decide, it is reasonable to assume they would want those closest to them to be kept informed of their general condition and prognosis, unless they indicate, or have previously indicated, otherwise.

Your healthcare provider should be able to provide an indication of how long he or she thinks you will stay in the hospital to recover.

The length of your stay depends on the type of operation you have and your recovery. For most patients on average that would range from three to seven days depending on when they begin to pass wind 2–3 days after surgery. You may have a bowel movement after 3–5 days. This varies between individuals.

You might be in hospital from a few days to a week. In rare cases you may need to stay longer.

After your operation your surgeon, or one of their team, will want to see you again in the outpatient clinic. This appointment will be sent to you or get the appointment notification on My UCLH care and if you have had your operation for a known or suspected cancer you will be called to come back to clinic approximately 2–3 weeks after your operation. The results of your operation any recommendations for further treatment will be discussed with you in clinic or you will get a phone call from the colorectal specialist nurses, if your operation was for a non-cancer condition your appointment will normally be 6–8 weeks after you go home. If you have any concerns, please don’t wait for this appointment, please contact your GP or the hospital. You will given the contact numbers of the ward and names of the specialist nurses to get in touch with.

You may shower day after surgery, but should avoid bathing, you will be given a wash bowl. You should change into day clothes. When discharged home avoid. hot tubs, or swimming until your surgeon tells you it’s okay.

Your surgeon will explain the results of your operation. They will also tell you what they found in the tissue they removed (pathology). The histology result will come back two weeks after your surgery They may be able to tell you more about the stage of the cancer. They will explain if you need to see a cancer doctor (oncologist) to talk about further treatment. Any other referrals to other specialists will also be sent. It is not unusual to need more treatment after surgery. For example, you may have chemotherapy or radiotherapy to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back. Or you might need treatment to get rid of, or shrink, any cancer that was not completely removed.

If you do not need further treatment after surgery, you will have more follow-up appointments requested by the specialist nurses.

When you leave hospital, you may feel anxious or concerned; this is normal. If you are worried, need information or you are not sure about something related to your operation, please   contact the ward, your Colorectal Specialist Nurse who will be happy to answer your queries. Enhanced recovery nurse will help with wound management or not feeling well immediately after discharge.

You may need to be off work for two weeks or more after your surgery. This depends on the type of work you do, please discuss this with your consultant.

The pain management team will work with you to address your pain. Pain management techniques have improved, and surgeons can treat most surgical pain with minimal use of narcotics. The goal is to control pain enough to allow patients to recover and return to normal function as soon as possible. 

It is normal to have some pain around the wound after your return home, how much pain will vary with each individual patient. You will be given some pain killers to take home with you. Take these as directed and if necessary, obtain a repeat prescription from your GP.

Elita Yolamu 

Enhanced Recovery Nurse in colorectal surgery treatment 

Direct line: 07852 905980 

Switchboard: 020 3456 7890