Medical Information
Anal Cancer
Anal Cancer Fortunately anal cancer is rare but it can give the exactly same symptoms as piles. Anal cancer is rare, much less common than bowel cancer. The symptoms of anal cancer can be exactly the same as haemorrhoids, often giving bleeding [...]
Anal Fissure
Anal Fissure Patients often have an anal fissure rather than haemorrhoids. An anal fissure is a tear in the anal canal. It may arise after passing a particularly hard or large bowel motion or after anal trauma. It gives symptoms of bleeding [...]
Anal Fistula
Anal Fistula Sometimes anal infection can lead to a fistula. Sometimes perianal abscesses do not heal properly and leave an abnormal track running from the inside of the anus or rectum to the nearby skin; this is called a fistula. Anal fistulas [...]
Anal Hygiene
Anal Hygeine If you thought a bowel surgeon spent their time seeing the dirtiest people in the community then you should think again! Over cleaning the Anus leads to anal irritation and disease Many people would think that a bowel and anus [...]
Anal polyps and Skin Tags
Anal polyps and Skin Tags Many patients become concerned that they do not have a neat flat anus. It is very common to develop little benign growths at the anus called anal polyps or skin tags. Firstly it is important to check [...]
Anal Warts
Anal Warts Some anal lumps are contagious. The human papilloma virus (HPV) is infective and can be transmitted from person to person by sexual contact. Other people at risk of getting infected are people with a weakened immune system. Warty growths can [...]
Bowel or Colorectal Cancer
Bowel or Colorectal Cancer Information about bowel cancer and the new keyhole operations available for selected patients. Bowel cancer is common, especially in the Western World. It is the third most common cancer in the UK. It is also called colon cancer [...]
Colon Polyp Follow Up Guidelines
Colon Polyp Follow Up Guidelines Guidelines for post-polypectomy surveillance First ask if the baseline colonoscopy achieved caecal intubation with adequate bowel prep and clearance of all premalignant polyps. Consider site-check for 10-19mm non-pedunculated colorectal polyps without histological confirmation of complete excision. Large [...]
Colonoscopy and Sigmoidoscopy
Colonoscopy and Sigmoidoscopy Colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy are used to investigate the colon and rectum (large bowel) and to remove polyps. Patients with bowel symptoms such as bleeding, change in bowel habit or abdominal pain may be recommended for sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. Sigmoidoscopy [...]
Colonoscopy surveillance guidelines for people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Colonoscopy surveillance guidelines for people with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Offer colonoscopic surveillance to people whose symptoms started 10 years ago and who have ulcerative colitis (but not proctitis alone) or Crohn's colitis involving more than one segment of colon Offer a baseline [...]
Colorectal Cancer Follow Up Guidelines
Colorectal Cancer Follow Up Guidelines Here are the current follow up guidelines for patients in Mr Moore's clinic who have had previous colorectal cancer treatment with curative intent CEA (Carcinoembryonic antigen) tumour marker blood testing Ideally check CEA every 6 months [...]
Common Colorectal Operations
Common Colorectal Operations Doctors and medical students should be familiar with these five common colorectal operations Medical students and trainee doctors attached to my firm should make themselves familiar with the following five common major colorectal operations: Right Hemicolectomy In this [...]
Diverticular Disease
Diverticular Disease This common benign condition can cause abdominal pain, change in bowel habit and bleeding out of the anus. Diverticular disease is a very common condition in mature people especially in the Western World. It is thought that people develop diverticular [...]
ERCP
ERCP A long camera inserted via the mouth to investigate the bile ducts. ERCP stands for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography! It is carried out for the investigation of patients with jaundice or suspicion of bile duct disease. Intravenous sedation and X-Rays are also [...]
Gallstones
Gallstones Learn more about gallstone disease and the reason why it causes upper abdominal pains Gallstones are very common. Some authorities say that 1 in 10 of forty to sixty year olds and 1 in 4 of the over sixties have gallstones. [...]
Gastroscopy
Gastroscopy Gastroscopy refers to a long thin camera entering the mouth and examining the gullet, stomach and duodenum. If patients have upper abdominal pains, heartburn or difficulty eating or swallowing then their doctor may recommend a gastroscopy (sometimes called endoscopy). This is [...]
Haemorrhoids or Piles
Haemorrhoids or Piles Common bulges at the anus that can irritate and bleed. The first and most important thing to say about haemorrhoids is that you should make sure that a qualified doctor has confirmed that this is the correct diagnosis. This [...]
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) This describes a condition where the inner lining of the bowel can become inflamed for reasons that we do not completely understand. IBD is often subdivided in to Crohn’s Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and Indeterminate Colitis. Most patients require [...]
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) This is a very common condition where patients can suffer intermittent abdominal pains, bloating and change in bowel habit. It is a benign and self-limiting condition but it is important that other more serious bowel conditions have been [...]
Keyhole or Laparoscopic or Minimally Invasive Surgery and Robotic Surgery
Keyhole or Laparoscopic or Minimally Invasive Surgery and Robotic Surgery Laparoscopic and Robotic surgery provides many benefits to patients. Rather than the surgeon doing the operation through a large incision (traditional open surgery), small cuts are made for long instruments [...]