An ileostomy is not just a life-saving procedure, but it also improves the quality of life by eliminating the painful and life-threatening bowel health condition. Many people wonder when it becomes necessary for a person to require an ileostomy.
Here is what you may want to know.
What is an ileostomy?
When we say ileostomy, we usually refer to its traditional type, which involves the removal of wastes through an opening in the abdomen. The surgeon creates this opening to pull a part of the small intestine to create a stoma after removing or resting the colon and rectum. The stoma is a bud-like structure that doesn’t have sphincters to allow you when to expel waste materials. It necessitates you to wear an ostomy bag over the stoma to collect waste content.
The small intestine meets the colon under the lower right area of the abdominal skin, so it is the place where your surgeon will create the stoma. A stoma is red or pink and moist.
Other types of ileostomies fall into the category of continent ileostomies, which involve the creation of an internal pouch to collect bodily wastes. This internal pouch consists of tissues from small and large intestines. It connects to an opening in the abdomen through a valve made of living tissues made of tissues from the ileum. A type of continent pouch connects to the anal canal, allowing the patient to expel body wastes through the anus. The surgeon will create this ileostomy if the patient retains a part of the rectum. This continent ileostomy is known as the j-pouch. Other continent reservoirs that connect to an opening in the abdomen are known as the Kock pouch and BCIR.
When does an ileostomy become necessary?
Depending on why you need it, an ileostomy can be permanent or temporary. The procedure is going to be permanent if your surgeon chooses to remove your colon, rectum, and anus. The procedure will be temporary if the surgeon removes the colon but leaves the anus and some part of the rectum.
According to the American Cancer Society, there can be many reasons a surgeon may need to perform an ileostomy. They have to go with this option when the underlying condition becomes uncontrollable through diet and medication. In some cases, an injury from an accident may be the reason an individual may need to undergo ileostomy surgery.
The most common health conditions that may lead you to require an ileostomy include:
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Cancer
- Familial polyposis
Many patients with traditional ileostomies choose to undergo another surgical procedure to have a continent pouch to be able to manage stool evacuations in a batter way. Patients with Crohn’s disease, however, may not qualify for such procedures because this disease typically requires the removal of the entire colon. Patients who had their colon removed due to Crohn’s disease do not qualify for a continent pouch also because this condition is recurrent. It can cause complications like fistulae, abscesses, and strictures that can impede the functionality of the internal reservoir.
