Procedure for Ileal J-pouch Surgery

What to Expect from the Ileal J-Pouch Surgery Procedure

Ileal J-pouch surgery is one of the most complex procedures our colorectal surgeons perform. With advanced training and a depth of experience that comes from treating hundreds of patients, we perform your procedure using the least invasive techniques available today.

As pioneers of single incision laparoscopic surgery, we were among the first programs in the U.S. performing ileal J-pouch surgery using just one incision (instead of five). Placing surgical instruments through a single access point allows us greater maneuverability and helps us perform your procedure with greater efficiency and accuracy.

If ileal J-pouch surgery is right for you, here's what to expect:

• We give you general anesthesia, meaning that you will be asleep and not able to feel any sensation during your procedure.
• Your surgeons start by making one small incision above your belly button.
• We fill your abdomen with carbon dioxide gas, which makes it easier for us to move surgical instruments around and gives us a clear view of the surgical area.
• We place thin tubes in your incision to access your intestines.
• A video camera and specialized instruments attached to the tubes allow us to carry out your procedure.
• We construct a new rectum by connecting a piece of your small intestine to your anus.
• This forms a J-shaped pouch that collects stool until you are ready to eliminate it through a bowel movement.
• To allow your J-pouch time to heal, we also create a temporary method for you to pass stool through a special hole in your stomach (ileostomy).
• As you recover, you eliminate stool through your ileostomy into a special (ostomy) bag. Ostomy bags attach to your skin and are made of a special odor-fighting substance. No one will know about it unless you tell them.
• Dedicated ostomy nurses help you learn how to care for your ileostomy and are always available to answer your questions.
• Three months after your initial surgery, we surgically close your ileostomy and reroute stool through the J-pouch.