How do you prepare for Polypectomy?

• Your doctor may ask you to stop taking blood thinning medicines like aspirin or other medications containing aspirin for at least two weeks prior to surgery.
• You will be asked to stop eating anything after midnight before the scheduled surgery.
• You will undergo several  blood tests, X-rays, MRI, EKG, and anesthesia clearance tests in order to determine your health condition

What happens during Polypectomy?

The polyp removal surgery is very quick and simple, usually takes only 20 minutes. If there are any complications, the surgeon does not take more than 1 hour.

The surgeon will give you an IV sedative only if required. For a uterine polyp removal surgery the team will use a local anesthetic. Any other diagnosis of polyp symptoms requires you to relax and stay awake with a simple sedative.

Before finalising on a form, the surgeon will again examine the-

• Type of polyp symptoms
• Location/origin of polyp symptoms

Based on the above criteria, the surgical team will select any of the following form of polyp removal surgery.

• Colon polypectomy

Here, the team will usually investigate and treat colon polyp symptoms. They will conduct it with the assistance of a colonoscopy.

• Uterine polypectomy

Surgeons choose to conduct this polyp removal surgery with a camera scope. This decreases incisions and recovery period. The camera guides the surgeon. He/she will insert the scope through the vagina and cervix to examine and treat the uterine area.

• Biopsy forceps polypectomy 

The surgeon will use this form of surgery to remove any small polyp symptoms. In this procedure the forceps are either cold or hot. Surgeons use cold forcep polyp removal to slowly pull out the polyp symptoms. He/she will remove excess tissue with the assistance of a wire. On the other hand, hot forcep polyp removal adds onto the cold forcep polyp removal. The surgeon will cauterize the leftover tissue and avoid any excessive bleeding.

• Snare polypectomy

The team will use this form of surgery to terminate any large polyp symptoms. Your surgeon will use a thin wire to loop around the bottom of the polyp. This wire may also be hot or cold. Then, he/she will cut off the polyp growth with heat. The surgeon will cauterize the remaining residue of tissue.

• Incision polypectomy

The surgical team will conduct this surgery for stubborn large polyp symptoms. As they are more aggressive, the above methods may not work on them. This surgery can be a little complicated and uses general anesthesia.  

Your doctor will test the removed tissue to further diagnose the possibility of colon cancer. This usually takes a week but can take longer if the case is complex.  

You are not likely to feel any pain other than a slight feeling of pressure/pulling.

What can you expect after Polypectomy? 

You will quickly recover from a polyp removal surgery with mild discomforts. There are a few side effects that you will temporarily experience for a day. This can include-

• Gassiness
• Pain
• Little bleeding
• Bloating
• Cramps 

Your recovery time will not be for more than two weeks.

What are the risks associated with Polypectomy?

• Severe bursting of the bowel or other organs
• Bleeding rectum
• Infection symptoms like fever, foul smelling blood and chills
• Heavy and irregular bleeding
• Serious stomach pain and bloating
• Vomiting
• Irregular heartbeat
  

What are some of the lifestyle changes you need to make after Polypectomy?

Your doctor may ask you to avoid some drinks or food 2-3 days after the surgery. This is because some of the following can irritate the digestive system-

• Tea
• Coffee
• Soda
• Alcohol
• Spicy Foods