@hallo643

They don't necessarily remove the ileocecal valve ( that's the valve you're referring to, between the terminal ileum and the caecum if it's not damaged or close to the malignant growths in your colon for which they are doing the surgery. I had a hemicolectomy three years ago ( for a stage II adenocarcinoma on the right side of my colon near the hepatic junction). They removed my caecum ( not the ileocecal valve), ascending colon and as much of the transverse colon as needed to get good cancer-free margins from the cancer. It was an endoscopic surgery and I recovered well, with GI function within a normal range at this point. I do take probiotics, but never needed any antibiotics after the surgery.