Digestive Diseases Discussion Home

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

About Ileostomy, Colostomy, and Ileoanal Reservoir Surgery

This site contains information from government publications about ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery that have been reformatted and reorganized. There are numerous links to the original documents.

The goal is to make the information easier to find and to allow the sharing of information between users.

This is a very big undertaking and you can help me help others. Please add your comments or questions to any topic that concerns you. If you know of additional resources please include links to them.

I am especially looking for:

  • Experiences of ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery patients
  • Experiences of family members of ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery patients
  • Experiences of caregivers experienced with ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery
  • Experiences of physicians experienced with ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery
  • Experiences of researchers experienced with ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery


  • Information about specific ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery products
  • Information about specific ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery treatments
  • Information about specific ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery medications
  • Information about hospitals specializing in of ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery
  • Information about clinics specializing in ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery
  • Information about physicians specializing in ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery


If possible please include:

  • Links to ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery websites
  • Links to ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery blogs
  • Links to ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery news articles
  • Links to ileostomy, colostomy, and ileoanal reservoir surgery research articles

Monday, March 07, 2005

Ileostomy, Colostomy, and Ileoanal Reservoir Surgery

Sometimes treatment for Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and familial adenomatous polyposis involves removing all or part of the intestines. When the intestines are removed, the body needs a new way for stool to leave the body, so the surgeon creates an opening in the abdomen for stool to pass through. The surgery to create the new opening is called ostomy. The opening is called a stoma.

Different types of ostomy are performed depending on how much and what part of the intestines are removed. The surgeries are called ileostomy and colostomy. When the colon and rectum are removed, the surgeon performs an ileostomy to attach the bottom of the small intestine (ileum) to the stoma. When the rectum is removed, the surgeon performs a colostomy to attach the colon to the stoma. A temporary colostomy may be performed when part of the colon has been removed and the rest of it needs to heal.

Ileoanal reservoir surgery is an alternative to a permanent ileostomy. It is usually completed in two surgeries. In the first surgery, the colon and rectum are removed and a pouch or reservoir is constructed from the last 18 inches of the small intestine. This pouch is attached to the anus. In the second surgery, the ileostomy is closed. The muscles surrounding the anus and anal canal are left in place, so the stool in the pouch does not leak out of the anus. People who have this surgery are able to control their bowel movements.

If an ileoanal reservoir is not possible or feasible, a continent ileostomy may be an alternative to using an outside collecting bag. In continent ileostomy, an internal reservoir pouch is created from part of the small intestine. A valve is constructed and a stoma is placed through the abdominal wall. A tube is inserted through the stoma and valve to drain the pouch.

source: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/ileostomy/index.htm

Sunday, March 06, 2005

For More Information Ileostomy, Colostomy, and Ileoanal Reservoir Surgery

International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD) Inc.
P.O. Box 170864
Milwaukee, WI 53217
Phone: 1-888-964-2001 or (414) 964-1799
Fax: (414) 964-7176
Email: iffgd@iffgd.org
Internet: www.iffgd.org

Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America Inc.
386 Park Avenue South, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10016-8804
Phone: 1-800-932-2423 or (212) 685-3440
Fax: (212) 779-4098
Email: info@ccfa.org
Internet: www.ccfa.org

United Ostomy Association Inc.
19772 MacArthur Boulevard, Suite 200
Irvine, CA 92612-2405
Phone: 1-800-826-0826 or (949) 660-8624
Email: info@uoa.org
Internet: www.uoa.org

For information about colostomy for treatment of cancer, contact

Cancer Information Service
National Cancer Institute

Phone: 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237)
TTY: 1-800-332-8615
Internet: cancer.gov/cis

Additional Information on Ileostomy, Colostomy, and Ileoanal Reservoir Surgery

The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse collects resource information on digestive diseases for the Combined Health Information Database (CHID). CHID is a database produced by health-related agencies of the Federal Government. This database provides titles, abstracts, and availability information for health information and health education resources.

To provide you with the most up-to-date resources, information specialists at the clearinghouse created an automatic search of CHID. To obtain this information, you may view the results of the automatic search on Ileostomy, Colostomy, and Ileoanal Reservoir Surgery.

CHID logoIf you wish to perform your own search of the database, you may access the CHID Online website and search CHID yourself.


source: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/ileostomy/index.htm