- Open colon surgery is the more traditional approach. This requires longer incisions to be made in the abdomen to directly visualize and access the colon.
- The laparoscopic or minimally invasive approach uses tiny incisions in order to access the colon. A small thin, tube with a camera on the end known as a laparoscope is used to visualize the colon, and long, thin instruments are inserted into the body.
- Advantages of minimally invasive surgery include a shorter recovery time due to smaller incisions for healing, less pain and blood loss and a smaller scar afterward.
- As the more traditional approach, the open approach allows for greater access to the colon. This is a benefit because sometimes laparoscopic surgeries must be converted to open surgeries when a surgeon cannot properly reach the affected area.
- According to a March 2009 report published in the American Journal of Surgery, laparoscopic and open surgery approaches to colon surgery do not differ in terms of results.
