In an
ileostomy surgery, doctors detach the small intestine of a patient from the
large intestine. In this operation, surgeons remove whether an entire colon and
rectum or a small portion of the small intestine. The ileostomy operation could
be permanent and temporary. It depends on the condition of the rectum and colon
in a patient. If the procedure can preserve the colon and rectum, then the
surgery will be temporary. Otherwise, an ileostomy operation is permanent.
Most of the
digestion of food takes place in the small intestine. It is a six-meter-long
tube. The absorption of vitamins, proteins, minerals, fats, and carbohydrates
takes place in the small intestine. Any food which a small intestine cannot
absorb goes into the large intestine. The undigested food which goes into the
large intestine is waster matter of the body (stool and liquid).
In the
ileostomy surgery process, doctors attach ileum to the wall of the abdomen and
make a stoma (an artificial opening) in the lower belly wall. The stoma
collects the waste of the body which discharges after the digestion process.
Causes of an Ileostomy Surgery
The
following are the various causes of ileostomy surgery:
- Ulcerative colitis (an inflammatory bowel disease).
- Crohn’s disease (gastrointestinal tract disease).
- Congenital bowel defects (esophageal atresia and fistula disease).
- Uncontrolled bleeding (from the large intestine, a severe infection).
- Any injury in the intestine (damages intestinal tract).
- Ischemic bowel disease.
- Carcinoma urinary bladder.
- Spinal cord injury.
Types of Ileostomy
The
following are the two primary types of ileostomy:
- Conventional ileostomy surgery.
- Continent ileostomy surgery.
- Surgeons remove the large bowel downstream no caudal viscus anastomoses from the ileum, which is a permanent device.
Conventional Ileostomy or Brooke
Ileostomy
In
conventional ileostomy surgery, doctors remove sphincter from the intestine.
Because of the surgery, a patient loses the natural process of discharging
feces. After the operation, patients excrete their stool through the artificial
opening stoma, which is made by doctors on the lower abdomen wall. A stoma is
the small opening to evacuate the urine and stool from the body. Stoma collects
the waste matter of the human body in a pouch called stoma bag.
When a
patient has ulcerative colitis, doctors perform conventional ileostomy. In
ulcerative colitis, a patient has inflammatory bowel disease. When a person has
ulcer or inflammation in a digestive tract, he needs conventional ileostomy
operation. The conventional ileostomy is preferred when a patient is Crohn’s
colitis. When a person has familial adenomatous polyposis and extensive colonic
resection for ischemia, he may need proctocolectomy and end ileostomy.
Continent Ileostomy or Barnett
Continent Intestinal Reservoir
In this type
of surgery, doctors make an internal container and a valve from the lower end
of the ileum. However, the stoma is outside the wall of the abdomen. The stoma
collects the cavity and mucus flow from the small intestine. Surgeons insert a
small narrow tube in the valve, it excretes the waste two to three times a day.
The stoma covered by a simple and single band-aid.
J-Pouch
What is J-Pouch in conventional
ileostomy?
There is one
more option to the conventional ileostomy surgery, called J-Pouch or Ileoanal
Pouch.
This is an
advanced procedure of conventional ileostomy. It has better options for quick
recovery and tolerance in a patient. The procedure has advance technical
changes to make a patient comfortable.
Temporary Ileostomy
A temporary
ileostomy is a partial dissection of the colon. In the
temporary ileostomy operation, half of the colon removes, and when the
remaining colon gets to heal, surgeons restore the connection of colon to the
anus.
Permanent Ileostomy
Permanent
ileostomy surgery occurs when a patient has chronic ulcerative colitis, bowel
obstructions, colon cancer, rectal cancer, Crohn’s disease, congenital
conditions, or trauma. In the permanent ileostomy, the patient will have stoma
for the rest of his life.