Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery

 

The goals of the UMass Memorial Section of Colon and Rectal surgery are encompassed in our four-part mission statement:

  1. Providing exceptional, state of the art care for our patients
  2. Educating medical students, residents, and practicing physicians
  3. Advancing the field of colorectal surgery through research and investigation
  4. Serving as an educational resource and advocate for the Central Massachusetts community

 

Specific areas of clinical expertise include:

  • Colon cancer and rectal cancer. We are members of a multidisciplinary team including Surgical and Medical Oncologists, Radiation Oncologists, Pathologists, Radiologists, and Gastroenterologists and meet weekly to discuss complex cases at our Tumor Board and Multidisciplinary GI Oncology Clinic. We utilize state of the art 3-dimensional ultrasound to stage and follow patients with rectal cancer and offer sphincter-sparing surgery for low-lying masses. In addition, we perform transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM), which is a minimally invasive approach for the removal of rectal polyps or early cancers. Few institutions, worldwide, offer this technology.
  • Inflammatory bowel disease. The management of patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease often requires a team approach, coordinating care with our referring Gastroenterologists.  Surgical intervention is often highly specialized, including total proctocolectomy with J-pouch reconstruction, laparoscopic bowel resection, or management of complicated perianal fistula disease. Our enterostomal/wound care nurses provide comprehensive patient counseling and stoma/wound care, when necessary.
  • We consider minimally invasive approaches for all of our patients. This includes laparoscopic resections for colon cancer, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. TEM options are available for rectal cancer (see above).
  • Anorectal disorders, including hemorrhoids, fissures, and fistulas are a major component of our practice. We offer the latest techniques including PPH stapled hemorrhoidopexy, Botox injection, and Cook fistula plug insertion.
  • Our Anorectal Physiology Lab, evaluating patients with fecal incontinence, constipation, and rectal prolapse continues to grow. We compassionately evaluated over 100 patients during FY’07. With the recruitment of Richard Barrett as our head technician, along with his 20+ years of experience, we have expanded our services to include EMG testing, biofeedback, and electrogalvanic stimulation.
  • Our group is enrolled in research trials, both at the local and national levels, evaluating new chemotherapy options for colon cancer, pharmaceutical manipulation of postoperative ileus, and, soon, the role for laparoscopic resection in rectal cancer.

 We invite you to visit our expanded site for more detailed information at http://www.colonandrectalsurgical.org/