Colon and Rectal Surgery at Southern Regional

State-of-the-art Technology and Leading Physicians

Southern Regional provides a full range of colon and rectal surgeries, including minimally-invasive options.  Colorectal cancer - cancer of the colon or rectum - is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States for both men and women combined. The disease surpasses both breast and prostate cancer in mortality, second only to lung cancer in numbers of cancer deaths.

Our personalized care focuses on every aspect of your health-from prevention and early detection to treatment and recovery.

As with every surgery at Southern Regional, you will be paired with a care coordinator who walks you through every step in the surgery process, from pre-assessment to post-operative care. This is part of our 360 Degrees of Care model.

Leading-edge Surgery

A leader in surgical advances, Southern Regional has been the area's first hospital to perform a number of minimally invasive procedures - including THD-HP^® - treatment for hemorrhoids and SECCA^®, treatment for bowel incontinence.

THD-HP is a procedure that is proven safe and effective. THD-HP^® is minimally invasive and does not excise tissue. THD-HP^® is typically an out patient procedure. Patients often experience minimal discomfort and return to normal activities within 24-48 hours.

The Secca^® procedure is an FDA-cleared option for patients with fecal incontinence who have failed conservative therapies and desire a less-invasive option than surgery.

Screening is a Part of Prevention

According to the American Cancer Society, about 148,000 people were diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2008 and about 50,000 people died of the disease. It is estimated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that 60 percent of colorectal cancer deaths could have been prevented with regular screenings.

Dr. Stephen Cohen, a colon and rectal surgeon affiliated with Southern Regional, said there are many misconceptions about colonoscopy that deter people from having the procedure done, even though early detection of pre-cancerous polyps is crucial in avoiding the development of cancer.

"People are scared," he said. "The common misconception is that a colonoscopy is painful. It`s an easy procedure. You do it in your sleep, and when you wake up, it`s done."

He recommended that people over 50 years of age without polyps get a colonoscopy every 10 years, and that people with polyps get a colonoscopy every five years.