Ectomy – Treatment, Effect & Risks

Ectomy

Ectomy is the complete removal of an organ with a clearly defined structure. The term refers to internal organs, the removal of externally visible organs is referred to as amputation .

What is an ectomy?

The term ectomy derives from the Greek word ἐκτομή for “to cut out”. Alternatively, doctors use the term total extirpation. An ectomy is when an organ with a clearly defined structure is completely surgically removed. This often happens during the surgical treatment of malignant tumors – as long as an ectomy of the affected organ is possible, there are still real chances of recovery.

Other indications for an ectomy are inflammation of non-vital organs, such as in the case of removing the tonsils . If only part of the tissue is removed, the surgeon speaks of a resection. Resections and ectomies are generally referred to as extirpations, and organs can be removed either as a whole or only in parts.

Before deciding in favor of an ectomy, it is always weighed up whether a resection would also provide the desired relief, since the function of the organ then often has to be replaced with medication.

Application and function

The most common indication for ectomies is cancer . First of all, an attempt is made to help the patient with a tumor resection, as this allows the organ to be preserved. If this is impossible, an ectomy of the affected organ is considered. The ectomy represents the last resort and is based on the assumption that the tumor has not yet spread, or at least not far.

If the function of the affected organ can be replaced with medication, the cancer can possibly be cured by the ectomy. Other indications are severe diseases of internal organs. In lung diseases, for example, bulla can form, which are to be regarded as an independent structure and take up space, which can lead to shortness of breath – their removal, the bullectomy, is also an ectomy.

Other cases are haemorrhoids , tonsillitis or appendicitis . Finally, an ectomy can also be considered at the patient’s request, for example for sterilization or sex reassignment.

methods and procedures

The procedure of ectomy depends on the organ to be removed. If it is located in a region rich in mucous membrane, the ectomy can simply be omitted, for example when removing the tonsils. Although this hurts immediately after the operation, it also heals quickly.

More difficult are complex ectomies, such as the removal of sex or reproductive organs, which is done for medical conditions or for sex reassignment surgery. In the latter case, the intervention is not just about the ectomy, but the surgeon considers the possibility of preserving some structures for remodeling of the genital organs.

In some ectomies, donor organs are also transplanted in the same surgical procedure, which necessitates interdisciplinary surgical teams.

What does the patient have to consider?

An ectomy is an operation performed under general anesthesia. There are known surgical risks, which the patient is informed about in the preliminary consultation. The clinical picture of the patient may make further preliminary examinations necessary in individual cases. If it is a functional organ, the patient is informed beforehand about the life situation after the removal, since it is possible that he will be dependent on medication for the rest of his life.

The patient must be sober for the operation, for which he is usually admitted to the hospital beforehand. The aftercare of the ectomy is particularly important: wound care, protection against infection and, if necessary, the initiation of a medicinal replacement for the removed organ must be guaranteed by the nursing staff.

Pain from the surgical scars is to be expected. In the case of simultaneous organ transplantation, the patient is given immunosuppressants . Since the follow-up care for ectomies can be complex and complications can occur, the patient remains in the hospital for days to weeks afterwards.

process and implementation

The patient is operated on for the ectomy following the preliminary consultation and admission to the hospital under general anesthesia. Depending on the organ affected, the surgeon is supported during the ectomy by imaging procedures or an interdisciplinary team, which can take over the next surgical procedure, such as a transplant, immediately after the ectomy.

The patient is informed in detail about the exact course of the ectomy before agreeing to the operation, since it is different for each organ and usually also for each patient.

Self-service or health insurance – who bears the costs?

Most ectomies are medically indicated due to medical conditions. That is why they are fully covered by health insurance.

The exception are ectomies that are performed at the patient’s request, such as sex reassignment or removal of the appendix out of caution without acute inflammation. In exceptional cases, however, the doctor treating you can argue that the ectomy is necessary, for example when removing the tonsils in the case of frequent tonsillitis in advance.

However, if there are complications during the operation or special treatment requirements during aftercare, such as infected wounds, the health insurance company will in turn cover the costs incurred.

Risks, dangers and complications

During and after an ectomy, there can be heavy bleeding, cardiovascular problems for the patient and similar serious reactions of the body, wound infections and wound healing disorders. These are normal surgical risks, plus there are organ-dependent risks in individual cases.

Ectomies of vital organs require subsequent transplantation of donor organs, adding to the risks of transplantation such as organ rejection. Even with the transplantation following the ectomy, there can be difficulties such as the lack of blood flow to the donor organ through the recipient circuit.

Ectomies of hormone-producing organs require immediate life-long replacement therapy following surgery, which may be poorly tolerated by the patient until the drug is properly adjusted – the same applies to ectomies of organs that subsequently need replacement or are functionally absent, so the patient can be treated immediately had to change his lifestyle after the operation.

Dorothy Farrar

Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.

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