Though many gastrointestinal disorders can be treated successfully with lifestyle changes or medications, some conditions may require surgery.

• Laparoscopic surgery (laparoscopy) is used to treat
• How is the laparoscopy procedure performed?
• How do I prepare for laparoscopy?

Laparoscopic surgery and hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) are, "minimally invasive" procedures commonly used to treat diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Unlike traditional surgery on the colon or other parts of the intestines where a long incision down the center of the abdomen is required, laparoscopic surgery requires only small "keyhole" incisions in the abdomen. In the case of hand-assisted surgery, a 3-4 inch incision is also used to allow the surgeon's hand access to the abdominal organs. As a result, the person undergoing the procedure may experience less pain and scarring after surgery, and a more rapid recovery.

Laparoscopic surgery is used to treat conditions including:

• Crohn's disease
• Colorectal cancer
• Diverticulitis
• Familial polyposis, a condition causing multiple colon polyps that puts you at higher risk of colorectal cancer
• Bowel incontinence
• Rectal prolapse
• Ulcerative colitis
• Colon polyps that are too large to remove by colonoscopy
• Chronic severe constipation that is not successfully treated with medication