Surgeries to remove the colon and cure ulcerative colitis have potential complications. Complications after ileoanal anastomosis are more common than complications after proctocolectomy and ileostomy.
Ileoanal anastomosis
About one third of people who have this surgery eventually have one or more of the following:1
- Blockage of the small intestine (small bowel obstruction)
- Leakage of stool from the anus (incontinence)
- Inflammation of the ileal pouch (pouchitis)
- Pelvic or abdominal infection (sepsis)
- Sexual difficulties
Women may have a harder time getting pregnant (infertility) after ileoanal anastomosis.2
Proctocolectomy and ileostomy
The main complications after proctocolectomy and ileostomy include:1
- Infection (also called sepsis).
- Blockage of the small intestine (small bowel obstruction).
- A problem with the opening in the stomach wall (the stoma). Some people need another surgery to repair the stoma.
References
Citations
Cima RR, Pemberton JH (2006). Ileostomy, colostomy, and pouches. In M Feldman et al., eds., Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, 8th ed., vol. 2, pp. 2549–2561. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.
Waljee A, et al. (2006). Threefold increased risk of infertility: A meta-analysis of infertility after ileal pouch anal anastomosis in ulcerative colitis. Gut, 55(11): 1575–1580.
Credits
| Author | Monica Rhodes |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Arvydas D. Vanagunas, MD - Gastroenterology |
| Last Updated | November 3, 2008 |
