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Removal of anus and rectum

Hello again guys (doing a few posts tonight sorry hehe)
I was just wondering ifi could have some feedback from people who have had thier anus and rectum removed. I will be getting a panproctocolectomy and ileostomy soon, and am interested in how they close up the gap left from the rectum. I read they can fill it with gauze and let it heal on its own (mf ouchies!) or they can sew it up. It must be so weird having this hole where your rectum was... How would they sew it up!

Anyways thanks heeps, this forum has been a lifesaver :)

Xx lotte:eek2:
 
I get to be first with my scary story. I had dysplasia in my rectum and colon so they took a "wider margin" as they say. They stitched my behind up, but a few days later the stitches broke open while still in the hospital. Strangely enough, they were not checking that wound, only my tummy.

I noticed a lot of discharge dripping from there, but I still did not notice what had happened until showering on my last day in the hospital. I was not exactly limber enough to check before that.

Anyway, a young doctor just told me to pack it with gauze and off I went. The wound was huge. My wife could literally put her whole hand in there. It was demoralizing and took a long time to heal.

Many people have their behinds stitched up and it heals just fine, so my story it but one where it was harder. One year later, it is fine. No problems, no pain.

For me now, it was very worth going through that to eliminate that huge source of problems for me. No more fistula, abscesses, etc! I haven't felt this good in a very long time.
 

ameslouise

Moderator
I had mine stitched up one month ago today with my perm ileo surgery!

It hurt like an MF let me tell you. I was not expecting that pain! But on day 8 or 9, it literally went from pain to just tenderness. Mine has been healing fine. I can now sit for short periods in a chair. On the couch or reclining, I can sit for hours in the right position.

The other thing I did not expect was there to be so much soft tissue in the arse after the surgery. It is my understanding that they pulled a bunch of stuff out thru the arse, removed the bad stuff and stitched it up. The result was like a hot dog bun (my cheeks) with a hot dog swelling out of it (the soft tissue). The hot dog has receded quite a bit in a month, but is still there and that's why it's sore to sit.

I would ask your doc specifically what they plan to do and what you can expect afterwards. I was not prepared at all and told my doc in my follow up that he could do a better job explaining to his patients so they aren't surprised! He said it's a fine line between warning them and scaring them! Point well taken!

Good luck! - Amy

PS Ice packs the first two weeks really helped!
PPS Do not use a donut pillow, it will just make the swelling worse!
 
Just to compare - I did not have the hot dog Amy describes. I think they must have cut it all away for me. I just had the Grand Canyon.

I also had pain, maybe not as severe as Amy, but mine lasted longer. I only used Tylenol, and I think that was a mistake. I should have gotten something stronger. I just did not want to deal with more narcotics after some bad reactions to Dilaudid in the hospital.
 
Wow thanks guys! I asked my surgeon but he simply said he sews it up. I will ask him again in more detail before the op! I hope mine doesn't rip open god that must have been agonizing, especially putting gauze up there :( sorry you had to go thru that!
The hot dog bun sounds crazy too! Do you suggest buying a donut pillow to help sit on? Perhaps I can get one from the hospital I don't know. anyways thanks heaps :)
 

ameslouise

Moderator
Charlotte, my surgeon specifically told me NOT to use a donut as it makes the pressure worse and can cause the sutures to come open.

- Amy
 
Amy that makes complete sense... I mean it IS when I am on the toilet for ages that causes butt pain and hemorrhoids... And thats a donut-ish shape. Thanks :)
 
The first few weeks are, of course, spent mainly at home, so I did not really need a cushion. I just needed my reclining sofa. The reclining position took the weight off my rump, and distributed it more on my lower back / upper butt. Sitting up, even with a cushion was not too comfortable - so I just avoided that as much as possible.

When I returned to work (mostly desk job) after 8 weeks, I just purchased a cheap fluffy pillow and sat on that. It seemed to do the trick.
 
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