Jpouch Surgery - Next Friday

I am having my 2nd surgery next Friday. My surgeon has done my operations a bit unconventionally. In the first stage, she just took out my colon, left my rectum and gave me the ileostomy.

On this next surgery, she will create the pouch and possibly hook it up. If she doesn't hook it up, then I'll have to have a loop ileostomy and a 3rd surgery for the take down. I am really hoping she can do the pouch and take down in this surgery.

I am nervous and excited. I did read some of the posts in response to UCWarrior2010. I pretty much have the same questions.

Has anyone had their surgeries in this method? If so, how did it go? Anything you can suggest that I may not have thought of?

Thanks!

I had three. They kept the rectum until they created the pouch in surgery #2. It was explained to me why but I don't remember all the reasons.

Take down will be #3. they want to make sure the pouch is healed and sealed before takedown so that I don't have much of a risk of an internal leakage and going sepsis.

Post Edited (mystique2) : 1/4/2013 8:21:24 PM (GMT-7)

Don't be disappointed if it turns out to be 3 steps. Three steps mean having much less chance for pouchitis later. I personally don't understand how she can hook things up at the same time as creating the jpouch. The pouch really needs at least 6 weeks to heal.

I will be having step 2 of 3 on Friday also. Hooking up the j-pouch right away is out of the question for my surgeon. The j-pouch needs time to heal. I have quite a bit of rectal pain currently. I am guessing that will be relieved after this surgery?

My husband is having a 2 step but not like the 2 step you described. In step one they removed his colon and created the jpouch along with his loop ileostomy. And we cannot do the step 2 now because of the fact that his pouch has a hole in it and we're waiting for it to close up. I too would not think the surgeon could do the jpouch and hooking it up all at the same time...to me, that sounds very risky. My hubby's pouch has had lots of time to heal and he still has a small hole that has not healed yet.

What Sue points out is true. I was chatting with a j poucher not long ago who had their surgery done all in 1 step. No complications. I on the other hand had complications with my 2 step. Just depends on the patient and the circumstances.

Mom2panda, good luck with your surgery and best wishes for a speedy recovery!

@ Sue - thanks for the clear information. The hospital where I am having my surgery regularly does it in two (#1 is colon removal, #2 pouch creation and take down). There was a guy on these boards whom I befriended and he had it at the same hospital in two.

I am hoping that since it has been over a year since my last surgery, and over 15 months since I was on pred and or remicade, that I'll get lucky and have it in two.

Thanks for all the info and wishes. Getting nervous now...