Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery Specialist

Karen Zaghiyan, MD, FACS, FASCRS Our Services Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery

Karen Zaghiyan, MD, FACS, FASCRS

Colorectal Surgeon located in Los Angeles, CA

Undergoing surgery for removal of polyps or tumors needn’t be painful and inconvenient if you’re a suitable candidate for transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS). Karen Zaghiyan, MD, FACS, FASCRS, is a double board-certified colorectal surgeon providing exceptional services, including advanced forms of surgery such as TAMIS, at her practice in Los Angeles, California. Find out more about TAMIS and the benefits of minimally invasive surgery by calling Karen Zaghiyan MD or booking an appointment online today.

Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery

What is transanal minimally invasive surgery?

Transanal minimally invasive surgery is an advanced form of surgery for removing polyps and tumors from the rectum and colon. TAMIS is suitable for removing both benign polyps as well as certain cancerous growths, depending on their size and precise location.

TAMIS is what’s known as an organ-sparing procedure because Dr. Zaghiyan doesn’t need to remove a piece of the colon or rectum but rather only the polyp or mass itself. The surgery takes place entirely via your body’s natural opening, the anus, avoiding the potential complications of more invasive surgery.


How does TAMIS compare to traditional colorectal surgery?

If you undergo traditional colorectal surgery, it means you lose a large part of your bowel as the entire section containing all the diseased tissue has to be cut out. 

For the TAMIS procedure, Dr. Zaghiyan targets only the diseased parts themselves, leaving healthy tissue in place, which helps your bowel function normally.

Undergoing traditional colorectal surgery is a major procedure that would probably require you to stay in the hospital for up to a week. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Zaghiyan can carry out a TAMIS procedure on an outpatient basis in many cases, or at most a single overnight stay in the hospital.


What happens during a TAMIS procedure?

Before undergoing your TAMIS procedure, Dr. Zaghiyan asks you to follow a bowel prep regimen that cleanses your large intestine. This ensures your colon and rectum are clear of any fecal matter, which helps Dr. Zaghiyan to see the area clearly and reduces your risk of infection. 

Dr. Zaghiyan performs your TAMIS procedure under a general anesthetic, so you’re unconscious for the entire operation.

Once you’re asleep, Dr. Zaghiyan places the TAMIS device inside your anal canal, then inflates your rectum using carbon dioxide gas (CO2), which enables her to see better and access the surgery site more easily.

Dr. Zaghiyan passes laparoscopic surgical instruments into the TAMIS device, along with a high-definition camera, so she has a clear view and can see precisely where to remove tissue. 

She removes the diseased tissues, then repairs your rectal wall so it heals and covers the removed area. The final stage is taking out the TAMIS device and the carbon dioxide from your rectum. 

Once you’re fully recovered from the anesthetic, you should be able to go home, and most patients get to leave the hospital within 24 hours. You should feel little or no pain after undergoing transanal minimally invasive surgery.

To find out more about TAMIS, call Karen Zaghiyan MD or book a consultation online today.