Social media surgery

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In an effort to raise awareness for cancer prevention and treatment, a Toronto hospital live tweeted a colon cancer surgery on Wednesday.

The live tweet string by Sunnybrook hospital gave followers a firsthand look at the surgical process.

Through a series of photos and videos, medical staff tweeted the details of the 70-year-old patient’s surgery. She had been diagnosed with colon cancer.

Doctor Shady Ashamalla performed the laparoscopic right hemi-colectomy. Removing the right side of the colon.

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of death for Canadian women and men. But is highly treatable if detected early. Screening is the most effective way to reduce your risk of colon cancer.

Before the procedure started, the hospital tweeted a video of Dr. Ashamalla explaining what followers were about to see.

Dr. Shady Ashmalla, cancer surgeon: “The operation is performed laparoscopically and what that means is that we put the camera into the abdomen and work with tiny incisions to remove that segment of the colon and put the two ends back together. The concept of doing it laparoscopically is that it really makes a difference for these patients long term. They end up with small incisions, they’re in hospital only for a couple of days and it minimizes the pain and suffering they would feel from a large cut.”

Earlier this year, Sunnybrook live tweeted a heart bypass surgery.

Thursday, Toronto East General Hospital will be doing the same thing during a prostate cancer surgery.