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Serving
the Twin Cities area for over
40 years |
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Locations/Maps
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Specialized Clinical Programs
Endorectal Ultrasonography
Endorectal Ultrasonography is a very useful diagnostic tool in
the management of a variety of colorectal disorders. Foremost, it allows
accurate preoperative staging of rectal tumors. Additionally, it can identify
anal sphincter muscle defects as well as delineating complex fistula tracts.
Endorectal ultrasonography is performed by Ann C. Lowry, MD, Charles
O. Finne III, MD, Amy J. Thorsen, MD, and Anders F. Mellgren, MD at the
Center for Pelvic Floor Disorders.
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Biofeedback
Under the direction of Ann C. Lowry, MD with Susan Ness, RN, Mary Roen, RN
and Joan Reich, RN as therapists, biofeedback assists the patient in
gaining control over a physiological response to a given condition. This
is accomplished with a series of office visits and home practice, and
is useful to treat a number of conditions. Biofeedback is offered at the
Edina, Minneapolis, St Paul, and Coon Rapids Locations.
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Pelvic Floor Center
Located at 2800 Chicago Ave in Minneapolis, MN, and under the direction of Anders F. Mellgren, MD,
the center has been established to provide a globally unique, multidisciplinary
approach for diagnosing and treating patients, primarily women, who suffer
from complex disorders of the pelvic floor.
The center aims to join together the specialties of Colon and Rectal Surgery,
Urology, and Gynecology, as well as integrate the disciplines of Psychology,
Physical Therapy, and Nutritional Counseling.
The lab focuses on assessment of defecation disorders including fecal
incontinence, constipation, and pelvic floor prolapse. Assessments include
anal manometry, anal electromyographic defecography, and ultrasonography.
Look for information on our new Pelvic
Floor Center website.
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Colorectal Cancer
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Laparoscopic Colon Surgery
Laparoscopic assisted surgery is a relatively new tool in colon
and rectal surgery. It has its beginnings with the laparoscopy that is
done by gynecologists approximately 20 years ago. Since that time, the
uses for laparoscopic surgery have expanded initially to removal of the
gallbladder and later to other procedures. Currently, laparoscopic surgery
is used for a number of procedures within the field of colon and rectal
surgery. Although not every procedure is appropriate for this type of
surgery, patients who have had laparoscopic surgery complain of less post
operative pain and often have a quicker recovery. The technique involves
the use of specialized equipment and video cameras that are inserted through
small tubes in the abdominal wall that range in size from the size of
a pencil to the size of a small breadstick. These tubes are called trocars.
With this specialized video equipment, the surgeon and his or her assistants
are able to visualize the operative field much better than an open surgical
procedure. When sections of the bowel are removed, they are brought out
through smaller incisions in the abdominal wall and as a result, the post
operative pain and incidence of hernias is greatly reduced. A number of
surgeons within Colon and Rectal Surgery Associates, Ltd. are skilled
in the use of laparoscopic surgery and patients that are interested in
this type of procedure should ask their physicians for more information.
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Continent Ileostomy
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Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery
An endoscopic technique for removing specimens from the rectum
and lower sigmoid under direct vision with binocular optics. Grasping,
injection, irrigation, cutting, cauterizing, and suture are all as usual.
The procedure is similar to laparoscopy.
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Endocavitary Radiation
This local therapy, developed in Europe in the 1920's, involves
incremental treatments using a scope inserted through the rectum. The
scope is positioned so that the tumor is inserted into the end of the
scope. Radiation is projected directly from the scope to the tumor. For
the appropriate tumors, this treatment offers no diet restrictions, no
loss of work, no perforations, no anesthetic and easy follow-up. Treatment
intervals range between 2-3 weeks.
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Sacral Nerve Stimulation
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Artificial Bowel Sphincter
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease
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Interdisciplinary Teams
- Pelvic Exenteration
- Recurrent Cancer
- Radiation Therapists/Medical Oncologists/ET's
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