Stoma Reversal

Stoma reversal

        While there are many good things to be said about the stoma surgery, the stoma reversal surgical procedure is not known for its high rate of success. You might wonder at that particular dichotomy, but think about it this way: if both your stoma and your stoma reversal are successful, it would be like getting hit by lightning twice in the same lifetime. Highly unlikely.

       Of course, take into thought that only a small number of people that have undergone a stoma surgery are even considered for a stoma reversal. Basically, only those that have had a temporary stoma apparatus installed are the only ones that could be interested in a stoma reversal. Those very few and very lucky are the ones that have suffered some sort of external intestinal trauma (like a severe beating or a gunshot wound) or that are affected by Chron's disease or ulcerative colitis. However, most stoma patients suffer from something much more perilous to their health and, eventually, to their life: cancer. If a person is diagnosed with colon or rectum cancer, the stoma is permanent and the stoma reversal procedure becomes impossible.

       But why is it so dangerous for a person to undergo a stoma reversal surgery? Well, two reasons come to mind fairly quickly and obviously: firstly, the idea that your digestive process will ever be the same after the colon has been severed from the rest of the intestine, even if it has not been completely removed, is rather preposterous. However, what you might not imagine is that the reattachment of the large intestine can be completely unsuccessful. In fact, while the operation might seem like a grand success, the colon could be causing internal problems by eliminating the wastes directly into the abdominal cavity. This leads to all sorts of problems, ranging from not absorbing the food to poisoning yourself with undigested nutrients.

       The second reason is slightly less obvious, but much more dangerous than the first one. While the colon attachment is pretty easy to spot, this one is not. This slow killer is infection. Your body might accept the reinstating of the normal digestive process, but it cannot eliminate the bacteria it ingests. Therefore, the problems arise and become more threatening by the minute. Most physicians will not be able to find a usable link between the stoma reversal and the infection, but that will not stop them from shooting in the dark. However, if the antibiotics they prescribe are strong enough, they could not only kill the bacteria, but also some parts of the intestine. Which, basically, invalidates the stoma reversal.

       Like it has been mentioned before, the success rate of the stoma reversal procedure is abysmally low. Usually, the people that actually attempt it are back on the stoma pouch in less than a year.