Colon and rectal surgery deals with the intestinal tract, the colon, rectum and anal canal. A colon and rectal surgeon diagnoses and treats various diseases of these areas of the body by medical and surgical means. This specialist may deal with other organs and tissues that are affected by intestinal disease, such as the liver, urinary, and female reproductive system.

A colon and rectal surgeon can also diagnose and manage conditions such as hemorrhoids, abscesses and fistulae (infections located around the anus and rectum), Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and other inflammatory conditions. They also use technical procedures to evaluate and treat cancer, polyps, and other anorectal diseases.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Alabama has 19 practicing colon & rectal surgeons. Broken out by city, colon & rectal surgery doctor density in Birmingham is 10, in Gardendale is 2, in Huntsville is 6, in Mobile is 1, in Tuscaloosa is 1, and in Valley is 1.

Montgomery is the capital city of this southern state, though Birmingham is its largest city. Population in 2005 was 4,557,808. Alabama is the birthplace of historical figures Hank Aaron, Helen Keller, and George Washington Carver. Take an airboat tour on the Mobile river delta, see the Alabama Civil Rights museum in Mantua, or tour the Jazz Hall of Fame in Birmingham. Visit the Shakespeare Festival Theater Complex in Montgomery, or play a round of golf at one of Alabama’s many acclaimed courses. From the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in the state’s north to the Gulf coast beaches in the south, Alabama’s scenery includes a varied and diverse landscape.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Alabama has a population of 4,557,808. Of this population, 1,074,627 are under the age of 18 and 600,258 are at or above the age of 65.