Surgery question

[kenny]

surgery question

I met with my GI surgeon yesterday. He looked at the two month history and various imaging data that has been collected. He tisked a few times and said we need to get me in asap. But he also explained what he expects to do.

Remove 5-6 inches of my terminal illium and the area of the colon where it attached. It basically looks like the whole lower right section of my digestive system

He said it was all fed by the same vein and needed to come out all at once. So basically attaching the better 2/3 of my illium to the better 3/4 of my colon.

Is that the usual procedure for illeostimy or terminal illium surgery?

It just seems like a lot more than I had envisioned. And I guess the appendix had to go too because it is attached to the part of the colon that will be taken out.

Is this the status quo for surgery? I was getting encouraged by some posts about how good things get after surgery but now I'm wondering if my surgery is going to suck because they are taking out so much.

And man do I not want a colostomy. I will have lived with a perc drain for three months by the time they do this. The last thing I was is an even bigger drain coming out of me with a second surgery needed to reverse it. This all feels like steps backward not forward :confused2:

 

[misscris]

Hey Kenny, when they did my resection, they removed 8-10 inches of intestines (bowel whatever you want to call it) and a small section of colon where it was attached, like you are saying. I think typical for surgery is just removing the diseased portion regardless of length. As far as the appendix, (as far as I know anyway) it's common practice to remove it when they do any abdomenal surgery since they are already there. The appendix has absolutely NO function in the body, but can be a problem so they just do the proactive move and take care of it while they are already there anyway.

I know everybody is different, but they did not give me a colostomy when they did my surgery. They talked about it with my mom (she was in the waiting room making medical decisions for me.... long story) and ended up not doing one anyway. So just talk with your doctor and/or surgeon about their plans for that.

It might feel like a step backwards, but it will end up being a huge leap forward when things are said and done. IF you need to have temporary colostomy, at least it will help to get your body moving in the right direction.

Good luck with it all, keep us posted.

 

[Guest]

hi Kenny - i think your consultant is talking about a resection. if he is intending at this stage to do an ileostomy/colostomy procedure, i presume he would have told you.

i originally went in for a resection, was told they were going to take about 12inches of my colon away - so yes it's possible to have quite a large chunk removed and still have a resection, not end up with a stoma.

however, like has been mentioned, it's quite normal practice to prepare you for the possible outcome of a temporary or even permanent stoma, depending on how the operation goes at the time. you might even have to sign for this on the consent form, but that doesn't mean it's going to go that way.

if you're really worried about the exact intention of your surgeon on the day, why not give his secretary a call and ask what he's written up in your notes regarding the operation?

whatever the outcome, good luck - i hope it all goes really well.. and i'm sure you'll feel loads better once the troublesome part has been removed.