What is an Ileostomy Surgery? – Types of an Ileostomy

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.