“But, I feel healthy.” “But, the prep is awful.” We all have our excuses — but a lifesaving colonoscopy is a lot easier than you think.
Bowel problems such as constipation and abdominal pain not only can disrupt your daily life, but also have a significant impact on your overall quality of life. At AHN, we’re here to help.
Our colorectal surgeons are trained to compassionately care for common and complex conditions affecting the colon, rectum, and pelvic floor. We help with bowel problems including IBS, diverticulitis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, genetic disorders and polyposis syndromes, pelvic floor disorders, and colon, rectal, and anal cancer. We also offer treatment for benign rectal diseases such as rectal prolapse, constipation, diarrhea, fistulas, and hemorrhoids.
Our surgeons are all board-certified by the American Board of Colon and Rectal Surgery — the highest level of colorectal surgical training. In addition to this extensive training, AHN surgeons are mindful and compassionate of each person’s needs. They see you through your personalized treatment plan.
Other highlights of our colorectal surgery program include:
“But, I feel healthy.” “But, the prep is awful.” We all have our excuses — but a lifesaving colonoscopy is a lot easier than you think.
Cancer screening can save lives by detecting — and sometimes even preventing — cancer. We offer advanced cancer screening services at locations throughout our area.
We provide comprehensive colonoscopy services to prevent and diagnose colon cancer. Screenings are available at many locations throughout the tristate area. Preventing and treating colon cancer starts with regular screenings. If it’s determined you need colon surgery or rectal surgery, the information found from your screening will help in your personalized care plan.
We use a specialized screening test called high-resolution anoscopy to detect anal cancer at early stages — when treatment is most effective.
AHN is the first health system in the region to be designated as a Rectal Cancer Center of Excellence by the Commission on Cancer — a consortium dedicated to improving survival and quality of life for cancer patients. Our colorectal surgeons are treating colon, rectal, and anal cancers in promising new ways. They work alongside our multidisciplinary cancer specialists to provide every patient their best chance at a successful result at our Colon and Rectal Cancer Center of Excellence.
We diagnose and treat a broad range of benign (non-cancerous) and malignant (cancerous) conditions that affect the colon, rectum, anus, and small intestine. We often work closely with different specialists, such as gastroenterologists (physicians who focus on digestive health concerns) and cancer specialists. This approach helps us address every way a condition may affect your health.
Our surgeons are committed to preserving as much of the colon and bowel function as possible using state-of-the-art, minimally invasive techniques when treating cancer.
Types of cancers we may treat include:
When changes to your diet or topical treatments aren’t enough for your hemorrhoid treatment, surgery may be needed. Our colorectal surgeons treat hemorrhoids using the latest techniques including rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy, and hemorrhoidectomy to help you return to feeling your best.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is an autoimmune disorder where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the digestive tract, causing inflammation. When this happens, you may develop Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Crohn’s can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, whereas ulcerative colitis can affect any part of the large intestine. There are multiple options for treating your IBD. We work closely with gastroenterologists to provide surgical care for patients with IBD. The focus is on finding the least invasive surgical procedure for you. We employ reconstruction techniques that reduce recurrence and retain normal function, such as Kono-S anastomosis and Ileal Pouch Anal Anastomosis (IPAA).
A parastomal hernia is a bulge or protrusion that occurs near the stoma, the opening created on the abdomen for a colostomy, ileostomy, or urostomy. It happens when the intestines or other abdominal contents push through a weakened area in the abdominal wall, usually around the stoma site. Our AHN Comprehensive Hernia Center can help. We work with our certified enterostomal therapist and provide surgical repairs of these types of hernias that affect the stoma bowel area.
Issues with your pelvic floor can affect your daily life. Pelvic floor dysfunction in the bladder, uterus, intestines, and rectum are uncomfortable, and you don’t have to live with that. We work with urogynecologists at the AHN Center for Women’s Pelvic Health by providing minimally invasive surgical options to help strengthen and repair the pelvic floor — alleviating the issues.
Surgery may be needed to help when medical treatments have been unsuccessful for conditions such as with constipation, diarrhea, prolapse, and incontinence. These procedures may include rectopexy, colectomy, colostomy, and sacral nerve stimulation. Bowel fistulas often require surgery such as fistulotomy, or a bowel resection. Our surgeons are actively engaged in researching evolving technology for complex fistulae, including regenerative stem cells, LIFT procedures, and advancement flaps when other treatments don’t work. Your unique situation, comfort, and quality of life are top of mind for AHN surgeons who will work to find a procedure that’s right for you.
Diverticular disease is a common condition that affects the large intestine or colon. It involves the formation of small, pouch-like sacs (diverticula) that bulge out from the colon wall. Diverticulitis is when one or more diverticula become inflamed or infected. When other options don’t help, we can provide surgical treatment, including minimally invasive colectomy.
The Colon and Rectal Center of Excellence brings its group of leaders together regularly to discuss and decide on the right combination of therapies for you. We work with you to get an accurate diagnosis and create an effective treatment strategy based on your personal needs. Use Find Care to find all of our colon and rectal surgeons or learn more about our doctors below:
Chief, Division of Colon and Rectal Surgery
Colon and Rectal Surgeon
Colon and Rectal Surgeon
Colon and Rectal Surgeon
Our colon and rectal surgeons are ready to help you.
If you have had imaging studies done elsewhere, please bring them to your first appointment with a surgeon so they view the images. The report can provide some information, but when we can see the actual images, we get a much better view of your condition.
If you are referred to us with a cancer diagnosis, your initial discussion with the surgeon focuses on your symptoms and diagnosis. For all other issues, your first appointment will focus on diagnosis and treatment options.
Learn more about our colorectal services or make an appointment:
Our colorectal surgeons are enrolling patients in several clinical trials involving complex benign diseases, such as IBD, fistula, techniques, and technology.
Clinical trials are studies that try to answer questions about new ways to treat cancer with medications, radiation, or surgical techniques. Previous trials have shown how new methods of treatment improve survival and quality of life and reduce the risk of cancer returning. You participate in a clinical trial only if you volunteer to do so and meet criteria for inclusion in the study, and you can stop participating in a trial at any time.
The AHN Cancer Institute is a pioneer in cancer research and participates in clinical trials of new medical oncology therapies that are open for patients who qualify and wish to participate. Patients are screened for consideration with ongoing clinical trials at every stage of their treatment. Find currently active colorectal cancer clinical trials using our research page.
The plan for the trial, called a protocol, explains the goal of the trial and how the study will be conducted. Based on the questions the research is trying to answer, each clinical trial protocol outlines specific criteria necessary to be eligible to join the trial.
Common criteria for entering a trial are:
Federal rules help ensure that clinical trials are run ethically, with your rights and safety protected. These rules are in place to ensure that you are not put at increased risk by participating in the trial, and that the results of the study are accurate and meaningful.
If you would like to participate in a clinical trial and help our innovative team discover groundbreaking cancer solutions, ask your doctor if you are eligible to participate. See which clinical trials are currently active and open for participation.
There are three ways for medical professionals, who are not a part of Allegheny Health Network, to refer their patients to an AHN specialist and request their first appointment. You can:
For more information about referring your patient to an AHN specialist, read the Independent Physician Referral FAQs.
After referring your patient to an AHN specialist, use the EpicCare Link platform to collaborate with their AHN specialist and view your patient’s test results, treatment plan, and progress.
Log in to your EpicCare Link account now
If you are new to EpicCare Link, or need to request your own EpicCare Link account, read: EpicCare Link for Patient Follow-up, for user instructions and new account request forms.
If you can’t access your patient's AHN test results through the EpicCare Link platform, your patient will need to complete and submit the correct AHN Medical Records Release form, based on their state of residency. Support your patient’s request by downloading the correct medical records release form for them:
EpicCare® is a registered trademark of Epic Systems Corporation and used with permission.
EpicCare® Link™ is a trademark of Epic Systems Corporation and used with permission.
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