London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
Small bowel resection
This is surgery to remove part or all of your small bowel when it becomes blocked or diseased
About small bowel resection
This operation involves the removal of one or more segments of your small intestine.
This is usually performed due to Crohn’s disease, adhesions (scar tissue) from previous surgery or complicated hernias.
Need to know
The operation will be performed under general anaesthetic, meaning you will be asleep for the duration of it. It is most commonly performed laparoscopically (keyhole surgery). Your consultant will locate the diseased part of your small intestine and remove it. The remaining parts of the intestine will then be stitched together before closing the incisions using small stitches. The surgery usually takes between one and two hours in theatre.
Your consultant will let you know how best to prepare for your procedure.
You will be discharged after five to seven days in hospital, depending on the rate of your recovery. It is not unusual to still have some pain after you have been discharged and you will have been discharged with pain relief medication.
Ensure you try and eat a sensible diet with plenty of fluids, fresh fruit and vegetables. After you have had part of your bowel removed, it is not unusual for your motions to be looser than before and for you to need to open your bowels more frequently.
Paying for medical treatment
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The Princess Grace Hospital
42-52 Nottingham Place W1U 5NY London
The Shard Outpatients
The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street SE1 9BS London
London Digestive Centre
41 Welbeck Street W1G 8EA London
The Wellington Hospital Endoscopy Centre
Central Building NW8 9SQ London
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.