Thomas Morgan is a General Surgeon in private practice in Wellington. Thomas has a special interest in colorectal and laparoscopic surgery and performs a range of general surgical procedures. His special interests are as follows:
- Bowel cancer
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Prolapse and pelvic floor issues
- Abdominal pain and other GI symptoms
- Hernias
- Gallstones
- Haemorrhoids and other anorectal disorders
- Endoscopy
The colon and the rectum are part of the digestive tract that processes the food we eat. Together they make up the large intestine or large bowel and are located in the abdomen between the small intestine and the anus. The colon is about 1.8m long and absorbs water and nutrients from food. The rectum is the last segment of the large intestine and is about 20 -25cm long. This is where waste material is stored before it passes out of the body through the anus.
A colorectal surgeon is a general surgeon who has had further training and specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the colon, rectum, and anus.
Laparoscopic Surgery
Laparoscopic (or keyhole) surgical procedures are performed through several small cuts (incisions) usually only 5-10mm long, rather than through one large incision.
A long, narrow surgical telescope (laparoscope) that has a tiny camera and light source attached, is inserted through one of the incisions so that the surgeon can view the inside of the body on a TV monitor.
The surgeon then passes specially designed surgical instruments through the other incisions and carries out the procedure using the TV monitor to guide the instruments.
Laparoscopic surgery is usually associated with less blood loss during surgery and less pain and scarring following surgery. In most cases, time spent in hospital is less and overall recovery time from the operation is less than with conventional open surgery.
