Small bowel resection, is it typical to have temp. Ostomy after?

There is a chance, but "fair" chance seems to be estimating it too highly. I could be wrong, but I thought temporary ostomies were mostly used for fistulas and abscesses in the lower GI tract: I haven't heard of many people having to have one for a standard ileum resection. In fact I'm not sure if I can think of anyone on HW who has had a temporary ostomy that also didn't have a boatload of other complications.

The thing is, surgeons don't know what they will find inside when they open you up, so they may have to do stuff that wasn't planned for. I was given about 2 hours' warning that I might wake up with a stoma on the morning of my reversal surgery, when I was given the consent form to sign. I was slightly taken aback by that, but a bit too late to back out. Luckily it didn't happen.

There is always a chance because like NCOT, they are never really sure what they are doing to find in there. Sometimes reconnection isn't possible if there is too much damage and you need the ostomy to heal the tissue before the reconnection. I had this surgery almost 2 years ago and was told it was a possibility, but didn't end up having one, and they removed quiet a lot of small bowel. The chances increase if you have been on biologics in the last 8 weeks or are on steroids. I think most surgeons know that their patients would rather not deal with a temporary ostomy (mine was reminded this regularly), so they do what they can to avoid it, but if you wake up with one usually it is for your own good and just remember, it's temporary.

Good luck with your appointment and let us know what the surgeon says. Try not to worry until you talk to him....I know that's hard to do!

Hello, I am also facing a small bowel resection due to 4 strictures from scar tissue. id you have the surgery? How are you doing?

Dawnc77 & Not2spunky,
Hello! It's been 3 weeks since my surgery, I did not end up with Ostomy!!! This surgery was planned as laproscopic with the chance of full open incision and chance of Ostomy. They just can't tell you for sure till they actually get in there!
They ended up taking out about 10 inches, (end of terminal ileum to beginning of colon, ileocecal valve and appendix. ) along with 2 stricture plasties. They were able to do it all by laparoscope.
I remember waking up and feeling my stomach right away and was relieved it all turned out as planned! They ended up taking just a little more then they had thought but by doing that they were able to make healthy reconnect. I stayed in hospital 5 days, forth day my bowels really started to rumble and grumble and I passed gas, let me tell you, I was never so excited for that to happen in my whole life!! :). Day 5 I had a bowel movement, very runny and went prob 5 times before I left that day. Over the next week or so I was pretty sore and running to bathroom very frequently, but the last couple days I have been having formed stools and going 1x a day! I had constipation problem pre surgery. I am just now starting to add foods back, things are going threw!!!!!!!!! Was on clear liquids day after surgery then next day they said I could start adding soft foods, like yogurt, ice cream , I have been drinking boost too. The big thing was my doc said just take your time adding foods back there is no hurry allow time to heal, just make sure to stay hydrated.
So as of today, physically I feel pretty good, have energy back, just taking it slow eating and adding foods.
Please don't hesitate to ask any questions, I know how absolutely nerve racking it is to prepare for this!! My thoughts are with you guys!!

Also thanks to everyone for the advise bf my surgery I never had a chance to say thank you!!!!!

Hi cdinhyd,
I hope you are starting to feel better. I know you directed your questions to JLCat, but I had the same surgery, so I thought I'd try to answer your questions:

-I don't know the stats on how common one vs multiple strictures are. I believe that strictures form from flares that cause inflammation and then when the inflammation subsides, scar tissue forms. When this cycle happens multiple times then a narrowing or stricture forms. Some people with Crohn's are more prone to strictures than others....I'm not sure why that is. Presumably, if you were on the right medication that kept you in remission with Crohn's, then you could avoid stricture formation in the first place. As far as your other questions:

1. A small bowel follow through test, a CT scan or an MRI will all show strictures. CT scans are very specific, but you get a lot of radiation from them, so docs try to limit your exposure.

2. The abdominal pain from strictures comes from partial obstructions, as food is having a hard time passing through the narrowing. Eating a low residue diet definitely helps with this. Yes, after recovering from surgery, the pain from obstructions completely goes away, because there is no longer a blockage.

3. I did have some soreness or discomfort at my surgery site for several months after surgery, but it was nothing compared to the pain prior to surgery from an obstruction.

4. It depends on how much small bowel you lose for loss of nutrition. They took 17 cm of bowel for me, and I have no nutritional deficiencies. Many folks need B-12 shots because the small intestine is where B-12 is absorbed, but I didn't lose enough intestine and I don't need them. If they take a great deal of bowel, then some folks have "short bowel syndrome" and need TPN or IV's with nutritional supplements. The small intestine is 22 feet, or 6.9 M. It takes a lot to get short bowel syndrome...usually folks with severe disease who have multiple surgeries.

I hope that helps and you are getting better each day!

Dawnc77
Funny, I am 36, Female also!! I have 3 girls ages 12, 8 & 6!!
The 5 days in the hospital weren't as bad as I anticipated!! Day of Surgery was kind of a blur, when I came out of surgery I had morphine pump that I could push for pain, and the medications from the surgery, made me pretty loopy!! :). So pain control was good!! I had a cath put in during surgery that was removed that next morning. That evening of surgery they got me up to stand and walk, just to my doorway.
The second day i got to take a shower and I did everyday after too!! I brought comfy clothes hoping to change out of gown, but I couldn't I guess the hostpital for infection reasons don't want to unhook your IV so you can put bra/shirt on, so I stayed in gown while there. But your hospital could be different! I also just wore the robes they provide, you could bring your own if you wanted. I was able to wear my own underwear the incisions where high enough it was ok, just bring comfy ones that aren't tight cause your belly will be swollen a bit!
I brought my own pillow and a soft fleece blanket and I used them, my iPad which I used a lot to watch movies or be online, my phone and charger, ear plugs, Chapstick, I did bring my own toiletries for showering. I brought a book which I never cracked open! I did not nap much just that first day, but I am not never a napper, during the day my Mom was with me while my husband went to work. I had other family taking care of kids, they are all school age so that was nice they were busy during the day... I missed them like crazy!!!!! I was alone at night which was totally fine but it was nice to have the company during the day.
Second day I walked out to the hall 2-3 times and then everyday after just was encouraged to try to get up and walk as much as you can. It will get easier each day!
They will ask you all the time if you passed gas, so when you finally do seriously it makes you so happy, I actually called the nurse to tell her then I called my husband!!! :). The doctors and nurses told me to chew gum as much as I wanted cause it encourages the bowel to wake back up, so bring your favorite gum too!
At the second day they slowed down the pain pump, and started to do oral Tylenol and pill form morphine, by 3rd day was just getting IV fluids through IV. By the day I went home I was mostly just taking Tylenol for pain, they gave me a script for pain Meds and after home I just took them at bedtime to help me sleep good.
So after I got home, my Mom stayed about 4 days to help with kids, which I would highly reccomend or your spouse cause you won't want to be home alone with kids especially if they are young and need you for a lot things, I was instructed not to drive for 2 weeks also.

So I feel like I could go on and on just cause it's so fresh in my mind!! If you have any other questions don't hesitate to ask me!!

It will all go great!!!!! :)

My surgery was a little different I had a large bowel resection and did end up with a temporary Ostomy. I was told it was a 50/50 chance and my surgeon is conservative so he warned me if there was too much inflammation he would would give me a bag.

First thing I asked when I woke up was Do I have a bag? But now I'm scared to get rid of the bag at my second surgery. It is a lot easier to manage than I thought it would be and I love not worrying about the bathroom. No pain, no urgency, I feel free. My second surgery is in December and ill be honest, I really don't want to go back to needing the toilet!!!

Thanks JLCAT.. How are you doing this week? What were you eating for the first few weeks after the surgery?