Are You Having a J-Pouch? – Its Impact on Life

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J-Pouch

A J-Pouch is a common type of ostomy surgery. Some small intestine patients need a visible opening and bag on the outer wall of the abdomen; however, some need an internal pouch on the small intestine. The purpose of the internal and external pouches is the same both collect the stool. The creation of the j-pouch or an external stoma depends on the type of disease, the severity of the infection, patient’s requirements, patient’s age, overall physical condition, and other complexities in the digestive system.

J-Pouch surgery is an alternative treatment of the ileostomy in a few cases. Sometimes, a patient wants a j-pouching operation instead of getting a stoma. However, doctors do not give an option all the time. A patient cannot select the j-pouch operation procedure in every disease. It can save a patient from getting an opening in the abdomen. It creates an internal bag to hold the stool. Thus, it is invisible and other people cannot see it. The procedure has two to three steps, depending on the patient’s condition. Usually, surgeons complete it in two stages only. The j-pouching surgery treats the ulcerative colitis and small intestine infections.

The j-pouch gives you some irritations and heaviness in your abdomen. Right after the j-pouching operation, a patient feels a change and discomfort in the digestive system, but this condition will not last forever. Once an ostomate gets used to the internal bag’s fulness, he/she can manage the situation, and of course, it will be a consoling situation than the pain and trouble you suffered from ulcerative colitis.

J-pouch surgery is not permanent. It only heals internal infections and ulcerative colitis. Doctors remove the internal sack once the disease gets eliminated from the digestive system. Moreover, the j-pouch appears on the small intestine or ileum, it comes in many shapes, including S, W, J. The appearance of the pouch depends on the internal condition and the looks of the ileum. This is a reversible procedure. An ostomate does not live the entire life with the j-pouch. Therefore, it requires more than one surgery. So, a patient should be young and healthy enough to bear and face two or three operations. Thus, this is usually an inappropriate incision for elderly people and the persons who have any other kind of disease, like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, brain tumor, arthritis, or any other physical problem.

Impacts of J-pouch on a Patient’s Life

After the surgery, the pouching system changes the life of a person, but it does not take away normal things and lifestyle from you. The ostomy gives you a new organ in the abdomen and you need to take care of it. With time, changing, cleaning, and emptying the stoma, peristomal skin, and the pouching system become normal. A patient adapts the new routine. However, a jo-pouch operation does not bother you to change your appliances. As it does not discharge the stool from the stoma. It collects the feces in the internal j-pouch. Moreover, it ejects the waste through the anus. Thus, ostomates do not need to change the appliance routinely. However, when it comes to caring, you will have to take care of your diet and daily routine. Well, there is nothing harsh you need to do to look after your internal pouch. It will be the same as you do in stoma life. It takes time for healing ulcerative colitis. Once an ostomy patient gets rid of this disease, doctors remove the internal j-pouch and the patient can get back to the previous digestive system. Therefore, a patient can live a normal and happy life with the internal sack. It enhances the quality of spending life. Also, do not do anything physical without the permission of your ET nurse and doctor, like lifting weight, running, or hiking.

What Are Different Ostomy Options?

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The presence of severe diseases such as ulcerative colitis or adenomatous polyposis can make it impossible for your bowel function properly. Having such a condition may necessitate you to undergo a surgical procedure involving the removal of the colon and rectum so that you may prevent further, painful complications. After the removal of those parts of the bowel, you will need to have an ostomy, which refers to an intestinal diversion to reroute the passage of waste materials.

There are three ostomy options.

Ileoanal j-pouch

If your anal canal and a part of the rectum are still intact after the removal of the diseased part of the bowel, you may have an ileoanal j-pouch, which involves the creation of a reservoir by folding the end of the small intestine into itself. The bottom of the reservoir opens onto the anal canal to allow waste content to pass out through the anus.

The advantages of a j-pouch include the following.

  • You will have some control over your bowel movements.
  • You will not have to wear an external ostomy bag to manage stool evacuations.

There are some disadvantages to the j-pouch as well.

  • There can be leakage, which can irritate.
  • You may have to visit the toilet 6-8 times a day.
  • You will not be able to defer bowel movements for more than one hour.

Brooke Ileostomy

A Brooke or traditional ileostomy is old-fashioned but a tried-and-tested option that you can consider for the treatment of severe bowel conditions. The surgical procedure to create this ileostomy involves the creation of a stoma by pulling out a part of the small intestine through a cut in the belly. Because a stoma doesn’t have sphincters to help you control over when to evacuate stools, you will need to wear an ostomy bag over it to prevent leakage.

Advantages of a Brooked ileostomy include the following.

  • With a bag attached snugly attached to the skin around the stoma, you will find it convenient to manage your stool evacuations.

There are some disadvantages too, and those can be overwhelming, depending on the case-to-case scenario.

  • You will have no control over when to eliminate waste materials.
  • You will need to wear an ostomy bag over the stoma the entire time.
  • Leakage can occur underneath the skin barrier of the ostomy bag, which can be quite irritating.
  • You may need to stick to some dietary changes.
  • There will be a high risk of obstruction.
  • The stoma might protrude.

Barnett Continent Intestinal Reservoir (BCIR)

The BCIR is an internal reservoir that connects to an opening in the abdomen through a valve made of tissues from the small intestine. The surgeon will take another part of the small intestine to make a collar that will secure the valve further. The collar will consist of living tissues to make the valve self-sealing, which will prevent the leakage of waste materials. To draw waste content out, you will need to insert a catheter into the internal reservoir through the abdominal opening. By far, a BCIR is the most secure ileostomy option to consider.

The advantages of a BCIR include the following.

  • It is easy to hide the flat stoma.
  • The self-sealing valve prevents the stool from coming out of the opening.
  • The process to empty the reservoir is an easy process.
  • The patient gets complete control over when to evacuate bodily wastes.
  • The number of times to evacuate bodily wastes will also be reduced.

The only disadvantage is that you are going to have to use a catheter to empty the reservoir, which will be quite manageable.

What is Stoma or Ostomy Surgery?

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What is Ostomy Surgery?

A person can encounter several diseases in life. Many infections and disorders lead to operations or surgeries. Thus, when a patient has some defects and problems in the digestive system, he/she needs the ostomy surgery. To treat and heal the disease in the digestive tract, doctors have to perform an ostomy and fabricate a stoma in the abdomen of the patient.

The problem, disease, or infection in the large intestine (colon and rectum) needs surgery, called a colostomy. The diseases in the small intestine (ileum) need an operation, called an ileostomy, and the treatment and surgery of bladder need urostomy.

The procedure for every ostomy is almost the same. Doctors construct a circular hole in the abdomen of the patient. The patients need the opening/hole or stoma to pass out the waste of the body. The ostomy surgery changes the organic passages of the excreting feces and urine.

In every ostomy, doctors treat a different canal and part of the digestive system. Due to cancer, infection, blockage, birth defect, and injury in the colon, rectum, or large intestine, they perform a colostomy. In this procedure, they take off or delete the infected or diseased part of the large intestine. And, conduct the remaining uninfected section of the colon to the stoma. The anus will not work after the performance of the colostomy surgery. A stoma in the case of colostomy ejects the solid stool.

In the case of ileostomy, doctors change the path of the ileum or small intestine. They do not let the ileum touch to the colon. A surgeon’s purpose is to disconnect the small intestine and large intestine. The stool will come out from the stoma through the ileum without going or passing to the colon. In the case of ileum cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, chronic infection in the small intestine, or blockage in the ileum, doctors cut out the infected part of the small intestine. The stoma of the ileostomy ejects a semi-solid feces or loose motion. So, these patients do wear a drainable pouching system. As the bowel movement will get out of control and unpredictable.

In the case of Urostomy, a surgeon cut out the infected part of the bladder or tubes of the urinary tract. It will not impact the anal tract and solid waste (stool or feces). The objective is to give the urine discharge a new pathway. Due to the bladder cancer, blockage in the urinary tubes, injury in the bladder, or any other severe infection in the bladder, kidneys, or urinary tract escort the urostomy. The doctors design a stoma on the right side of the abdomen. It will only pass the urine to the ostomy bag.

What is Stoma?

Well, the stoma is an artificial and doctors’ fabricated organ of the body. It lies in the abdomen of the patient. In the case of colostomy, it appears on the lower left side of the navel. Depending on the type of the colostomy, it may arise in the middle of the abdomen, below the belly button. For ileostomy and urostomy, the surgeon creates a self-made hole in the lower right side of the navel. The aim of the stoma in each case, either colostomy, ileostomy, and urostomy is the same. It only collects the waste of the body, whether solid or liquid. It serves the purpose of the anus in the human body.

How an Ostomy Surgery Improves Your Life?

Living with pain, infection, and disease is like a life in hell. Therefore, every patient wants to get rid of a diseased life. Thus, Ostomy improves the quality of a patient’s life. It changes the path of excretion and creates a new part of the abdomen, but it eliminates the infected tracts of the digestive system. After this surgery and the passing of the few weeks, an ostomate can live a better life. No disease, no pain, no infection, and a better life. You can follow your profession and previous activities without any fear.

How Can a Urostomy Patient Care for Stoma at Home?

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Urostomy

A urostomy is a type of ostomy surgery to create a hole in the abdomen of a patient. When a person suffers from the bladder infection, bladder blockage, urinary tract infection, or any other chronic disease related to the kidneys and bladder, surgeons perform a urostomy to change the natural passage of urine. They construct an opening in a circular shape for the flow out of the urine. This hole or opening appears on the lower right side of the belly button. A patient covers it with a bag, called an ostomy pouch. This pouching system protects and holds urine from the stoma. A stoma is a hole or opening of the abdomen in a patient.

Urostomy Stoma

A urostomy stoma is moist and red. If it changes its color, then it is catching another infection, disease, or any other problem related to an internal organ or stoma. Moreover, it can start bleeding if you do not handle the hole and its appliances gently. Therefore, do not rub it, hit it, or pull the devices from the skin. Another necessary information is about the stent. These are small tubes, your surgeon will place in the stoma at the time surgery. After a few weeks of the operation, it will drain out in your pouching system.

Urostomy Peristomal Skin

When it comes to the peristomal skin, a patient must care for it. It must be rashes free. It should not get dry. There should be no creases on the surroundings of the stoma. Moreover, you should not feel itching or burn on the skin. The peristoma skin should not turn red or bleed. These are a few symptoms of healthy peristomal skin. Thus, a urostomy patient should take care of the stoma and the skin around it to keep it hale and hasty.

Output From the Urostomy Stoma

At first, the output or discharge will come in pink color. It will be the merger of urine and mucus. A patient will feel the change in the color of pee for a few days after the surgery. But, with time, it will come out in the natural yellow or half-white. Moreover, a urostomy person will face the odor, it could be a major problem of all the ostomates. So, you need to wear an odor-free or filter pouching system.

Care at Home

After saying goodbye to the hospital, your surgeon, and nurse, you are the one who will babysit yourself. Therefore, you possess all the information and knowledge regarding healthy urostomy stoma and peristoma skin. The first thing is emptying and changing of the pouching system. You do know when to drain it and when to empty it. When a urostomy drinks water or any other fluid, after 15 to 30 minutes, he/she should go to the restroom to drain the stoma bag. As you are not in the organic procedure of peeping; therefore, you will not realize that urine is coming out. So, the easiest way is to empty it after drinking water, juice, or any other drink.

Moreover, when the stoma bag is one-third or one-half full, go to the toilet and drain your pouching system. While you are emptying it, make sure the discharge does not touch your skin. Furthermore, place a tissue paper in the commode to get rid of the splashes of urine.

Always use medicated wipes or a soft towel to clean and dry the peristomal skin. The skin around the opening cannot afford dampness. Therefore, wear a leakage-free pouching system. Use a high-quality skin barrier and adhesive. Use a stoma belt or cap to halt the urine to come out. Drink less water to control the frequency of urine. Change the entire pouching system two to three times a week.