Operation after a bowel operation to remove the stoma / colostomy and rejoin the bowel ends. The colostomy can be reversed in many cases, this will usually be discussed by your surgeon during the follow up after the initial operation. Patient's are usually advised to wait 3 months after the bowel operation to have fully recovered. During the operation an incision is made around the stoma to gain access to the inside of the abdomen and to rejoin (anastomose) the ends of your bowel.

Removal of the bladder + urine diversion (ileal conduit) or bladder reconstruction

Examination +/- surgery of tissues and organs in the abdomen with keyhole surgery (to find out about underlying problems for abdominal pain or discomfort, such as adhesions, infection, cyst etc.)

A flexible lighted instrument is inserted through your mouth into the stomach, further into the first part of the small bowel (duodenum) to examine the bile duct and pancreatic duct in gallbladder, liver or pancreas problems. Contrast is used and X-rays are taken to visualise these structures. A biopsy may be taken during the procedure.

Surgical removal (excision) of an irritating or painful lesion or lump under the skin in any area of the body. A sample will be sent to the lab and analysed under the microscope for cancer cells.

Surgery to push the the bulging bowel in the groin back into the abdomen to prevent the strangulation of the bowel. It can be carried out as open or laparoscopic surgery (keyhole surgery). It accounts for about 1 out of 20 groin hernias.

Reduction of the stomach size with keyhole surgery and reducing the length of the small intestine, for very overweight people (bypassing the stomach the small intestine is directly attached to the top of the stomach)

Procedure where a flexible thin tube (fibreoptic scope) is inserted into the oesophagus (gullet) to look into the stomach and the first part of the duodenum (small intestine). A Biopsy may be taken and sent to the lab for microscopical assessment. It may be used for investigation purposes or to stop a bleed.

Surgical Removal of Haemorrhoids (Piles)

Surgical removal of a part of the sigmoid colon (large bowel) +/- part of the rectum due to a blockage (tumour), perforation or infection. It is either carried with keyhole surgery (laparoscopic) or open (in emergencies). The rectum is usually closed and a colostomy / stoma is formed (the end of the bowel is brought to the surface of the left abdomen. The bowel content is collected in a plastic bag. You will usually be seen by a stoma nurse either prior to the operation or after the operation.