Colon and rectal surgery: The latest treatments

The colon and rectal surgeons at UW Health offer the latest treatments for common conditions and advanced colon and rectal diseases, including cancer. If you have a condition affecting your colon, rectum or anus — the lower part of your gastrointestinal tract — you may benefit from surgery.

Programs and research

Advancing your care through research and collaboration

The colon and rectal surgeons at UW Health continuously seek ways to improve care for cancerous and noncancerous conditions. 

Leading research to advance care

At UW Health, you can take part in research to improve your care. Our colon and rectal surgeons study new treatments for cancerous and noncancerous colon and rectal conditions. Learn more

Partnering in cancer care

UW Health colon and rectal surgeons partner with cancer experts at the UW Carbone Cancer Center. Working together, we ensure you get the best care from diagnosis through surgery and recovery.

Conditions and treatments

The expertise to detect and treat

Your colon — or large intestine — carries undigested food to your anus. As food passes through, your colon absorbs excess water and minerals. The end of your colon, just above your anus, is called the rectum.

If your colon doesn’t work correctly, you may find it hard to eliminate waste (stool). You can also feel bloating, gas or pain.

Whenever possible, our surgeons recommend minimally invasive surgery. This type of surgery uses smaller incisions, which speeds healing.

Conditions we treat

Conditions we treat include:

  • Anal fissure

  • Anal warts (Condyloma)

  • Bowel incontinence

  • Constipation

  • Diverticular disease (Diverticulitis)

  • Fistula (Perirectal abscess)

  • Hemorrhoids

  • Pilonidal disease

  • Polyps

  • Rectal prolapse



  • Anal cancer

  • Colon cancer

  • Rectal cancer



  • Familial polyp syndromes

  • Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC, Lynch syndrome)



  • Crohn's disease

  • Ulcerative colitis



Surgical and diagnostic procedures

Surgical and diagnostic procedures we offer include:

  • Diagnostic and therapeutic colonoscopy

  • Enterostomal therapy consultation and treatment

  • Ileal pouch reconstruction for ulcerative colitis and familial polyposis

  • Minimally invasive (laparoscopic) surgery for colon and rectal cancer and inflammatory disease

  • Robotic colorectal surgery for rectal cancer

  • Segmental resection of the colon and rectum

  • Sphincter repair for incontinence

  • Sphincter saving surgery for rectal cancer

  • Surgical resection for complex Crohn's disease

  • Surgical treatment of benign anorectal disease

  • Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEMS)/transanal surgical removal of rectal tumors

Patient stories

Inspiration from others

Michael Hill (right) with his two sons Oliver (left) and Alex (middle)

Dr. King spoke on a level that wasn’t over my dad’s head or beneath his intelligence.

Alex, Michael's son

Meet our team

Highly recognized surgeons

Each of our board-certified surgeons is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Fellows have undergone a thorough evaluation by the American College of Surgeons.

Our providers

Locations

Evaluation, treatment and follow-up

Our team provides care within the UW Health Digestive Health Center in Madison, Wis. We also see patients at the Colorectal Surgery Clinic in Madison and the General Surgery Clinic in Rockford, Ill.

UW Health Digestive Health Center

UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center

The experts at the UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center intimately understand every type of cancer. We will get to know you and design a treatment plan that works for you and your family.

Learn more