Question:
Have you heard about an operation procedure that involves a pouch that connects the small bowel to the intestine to replace the colon?
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Answer:
The surgery you are referring to is the ileal pouch, or anal anastamosis surgery. In this surgery, the diseased rectal and colon areas are removed while the rectal muscle and anal sphincter are preserved. A pouch is then created from the remaining small intestine and then sewn to the skin around the anus. In this way the intestine contents will flow through into pouch until there is a sensation to defecate, and subsequently the pouch contents are emptied through the anal sphincter.
The operation is often used in people who need removal of whole colon due to conditions such as ulcerative colitis and familial polyposis disorder. Some complications include infections or inflammation of the pouch, as well as possible intestinal blockage. However, most patients have satisfactory results in terms of control of bowel movements and avoiding the need for an ostomy bag.
Here is the link for the website.
http://www2.healthtalk.com/go/cancer/co ... th-a-pouch