WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF SURGERIES FOR ULCERATIVE COLITIS?

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF SURGERIES FOR ULCERATIVE COLITIS?

Surgery for ulcerative colitis (UC) removes the diseased intestine; the second part of the surgery is to make sure the healthy intestine has a way to eliminate its contents. Most of the time, the entire large intestine has to be taken out. But there are rare times when just the lower part of the large intestine (the sigmoid area and the rectum) need to be removed. 

Emptying the Healthy Intestine

In either situation, the remaining intestine is usually brought to the skin and drains into a bag (an ostomy):

  • Ileostomy if the small intestine is brought to the skin
  • Colostomy if the large intestine is brought to the skin.   
  • The part of the intestine that is brought to the skin surface is known as a stoma 

There are also rare times when an ostomy is created to empty the small intestine in order to give the intestine below the ostomy area a chance to heal. That is know as a diverting ileostomy. The bags that fit over the ostomy are emptied several times a day. 

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This article, as well as all others, was reviewed and edited by a member of our Medical Advisory Board.

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