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Symposium

Benign

Pelvic Floor

APP
Symposium

Is Constipation a Surgical Disease?

Monday, May 11, 2026
1:20 PM - 2:10 PM ET

CME Live Streamed Session Live Q&A and Polling

    Co-Moderator(s)

  • Craig Olson, MD

    Colorectal Surgeon
    Baylor Scott and White Waxahachie
    Texas A&M Medical School
    Waxahachie, Texas, United States

    All of the relevant financial relationships listed below have been mitigated.
    Intuitive Surgical: Teaching (Ongoing)

  • Liliana Bordeianou, MD, MPHFASCRS

    Professor of Surgery
    Harvard Medical School; Mass General Brigham Division Colon and Rectal Surgery
    Harvard
    Boston, MA, United States

    All of the relevant financial relationships listed below have been mitigated.
    This individual has no relevant relationships with ineligible companies.

CME: .75 hours

Constipation is a common and often difficult patient concern to manage. Join the great debate to learn when surgery might be an option in its treatment, and when it is not in the patient's or surgeon's best interest! Speakers will debate the pros and cons of operations for colonic inertia and obstructive defecation and review relevant cases.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
  • Determine the difference between slow transit constipation and obstructive defecation and understand the different surgical approaches to these disease processes.
  • Recognize indications, contraindications, and alternatives to abdominal colectomy for slow transit constipation.
  • Recognize indications, contraindications, and alternatives to internal rectal prolapse repair for the treatment of obstructive defecation syndrome.
  • Apply their knowledge to real-life case scenarios.

Presentations:

  • 1:20 PM - 1:23 PM ET
    Introduction and Goals of Debate
  • 1:23 PM - 1:29 PM ET
    Slow Transit Constipation (STC) is Best Managed without Surgery

    Panelist: Kyle Staller, MD MPH – Massachusetts General Hospital

  • 1:29 PM - 1:35 PM ET
    Take it Out! Colectomy is an Option in Appropriate STC Candidates

    Panelist: Jennifer Kaplan

  • 1:35 PM - 1:37 PM ET
    Rebuttal

    Panelist: Kyle Staller, MD MPH – Massachusetts General Hospital

  • 1:37 PM - 1:39 PM ET
    Rebuttal

    Panelist: Jennifer Kaplan

  • 1:39 PM - 1:40 PM ET
    Audience Vote

    Panelist: Craig H. Olson, MD – Baylor Scott and White Waxahachie

    Panelist: Liliana Bordeianou, MD, MPHFASCRS – Harvard Medical School; Mass General Brigham Division Colon and Rectal Surgery

  • 1:40 PM - 1:46 PM ET
    Operate for Outlet Dysfunction Constipation (ODC) (when appropriate)

    Panelist: Anna R. Spivak, DO – Cleveland Clinic Foundation

  • 1:46 PM - 1:52 PM ET
    Don't Operate for Outlet Dysfunction Constipation!

    Panelist: Valery Vilchez Parra, MD (she/her/hers) – University of California Irvine

  • 1:52 PM - 1:54 PM ET
    Rebuttal

    Panelist: Anna R. Spivak, DO – Cleveland Clinic Foundation

  • 1:54 PM - 1:56 PM ET
    Rebuttal

    Panelist: Valery Vilchez Parra, MD (she/her/hers) – University of California Irvine

  • 1:56 PM - 1:57 PM ET
    Audience Vote
  • 1:57 PM - 2:03 PM ET
    Case Presentation and Audience Questions: Slow Transit Constipation
  • 2:03 PM - 2:10 PM ET
    Case Presentation and Audience Questions: Obstructed Defecation Syndrome