WHY WOULD SOMEONE WITH ULCERATIVE COLITIS NEED SURGERY?
Most people with ulcerative colitis (UC) get better with medicine and attention to their diet, but about 25% will need surgery on their intestines at some time. That surgery is always done to remove the diseased intestine. At the same time, another procedure must be done so the healthy intestine can empty.
Who Needs Surgery?
- When medicines aren't working to stop the diarrhea, intestinal bleeding and / or the pain
- When the medicines are causing side effects worse than the disease
- When the intestine has ruptured (this known as a perforation) or is likely to rupture because it is swollen (known as a toxic megacolon
- When cancer has developed or there is a great risk of developing it
Who Needs Emergency Surgery?
- When the bleeding can't be stopped
- When the intestine has ruptured or looks like it's going to (toxic megacolon)
The Good News About Surgery
Almost no one wants surgery, but there is one good result. If the large intestine is removed, the symptoms of UC stop, because UC is only in the large intestine. The colon is no longer there to cause problems. As a result, those who have had surgery generally return to a healthy life style, though they often have to get used to their life without a large intestine.
This article, as well as all others, was reviewed and edited by a member of our Medical Advisory Board.
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