Ulcerative Colitis Surgery – Risk and Benefits
If you are taking medicine for ulcerative colitis and find that it is no longer effective, surgery could be your best option. One of the reasons that ulcerative colitis surgery is often a chosen method of treatment is because of the fact that once you have the surgery, you will no longer require treatment. Nearly half of the people that suffer from this illness eventually have surgery.
You will want to seriously consider having ulcerative colitis surgery if medication is no longer working, but there are situations that may call for an emergency procedure. These situations include,
- If there is bleeding from the colon
- An extension of the colon wall that causes severe pain
- If the colon is perforated
- If cancer cells are detected in the colon
There are a couple of different types of ulcerative colitis surgery. If surgery is needed you may end up having a proctocolectomy and ileostomy; with this procedure the colon, rectum and anus are removed and a hole is put in the stomach where the small intestine is attached to a bag that collects waste. This bag can be hidden beneath clothes and there will be no odor to indicate that it is there.
Another type of ulcerative colitis surgery is restorative proctocolectomy; with this procedure a reconstructive pouch is created, but you must use the bag while it has time to heal. Once it is healed the intestine is reattached and you no longer have to use the bag.
There are some benefits to having ulcerative colitis surgery, the first being that you will no longer need to receive treatment and you can return to a normal life. If you have the reconstructive surgery, you will not even need to use the bag for bowel movements.
Although ulcerative colitis surgery is considered safe and fairly low risk, it does carry some risk. One problem that can occur with the reconstructive surgery is scarring on the bowels due to obstruction; the reconstructed pouch may leak, or become inflamed.
The decision to have ulcerative colitis surgery is a personal one, but before you make up your mind to have this surgery you will want to consult with your doctor and spend some time thinking about it. In addition to the risks of this type of surgery, there are other things you will need to consider before you make a decision. One of the major considerations will be how exactly the surgery will change your everyday life.
Before deciding to have ulcerative colitis surgery you will have to decide if the procedure will interfere with your self confidence; some people may suffer server self image issues after having this surgery. Another problem that some people worry about is how the surgery will affect their relationship with their partner, as well as how they will manage to maintain that relationship after surgery.
There is no doubt that ulcerative colitis surgery can have a major influence on the rest of your life, and before you decide to go through with this procedure you will want to be comfortable with your decision. This is why it is so important to take you time and think about it before you choose to go forward, and at the same time make sure that your doctor is informed of your personal feelings about the surgery.