Re: Adhesions
From: Christine M. Smith (smithy@maine.rr.com)
Fri Jun 11 11:25:06 1999
At Fri, 11 Jun 1999, Tina Shelby wrote:
>
>Dear Beverly, Brenda, and Chris
>
>I know what you mean about how radical removing all but a small part of the
>small intestine is - but really what I wanted to know was who told Laura
>those percentages of pain relief by having that radical of a surgery done. I
>asked the Mayo clinic surgeon about having that done and his response was
>that it could be done if all but approx 10% of the bowel remained - the end
>could be re-anastomosed to the rectum without having to have a
>colostomy/illiostomy. The possiblity of having to have TPN for the rest of
>my life was a very real consideration. I have had to have TPN for 8 weeks
>and I would sure trade the pain for TPN hands down and in a second. When
>dealing with sucidal levels of pain - being paralysed would even be better.
>>From what I understand from the reasearch I have done - like having a
>hysterectomy helped with the pelvic adhesive pain so would removal of most
>all of the bowel. Inflammatory bowel(IBD) patients who have had total
>colectomys got much relief from their pain. Although IBD is inflammation on
>the inside of the bowel - adhesions are causing/resulting the inflammatory
>response on the outside of the bowel. There is still much research to be
>done in this area and is a very radical procedure and as with all other
>surgeries - there are no guarantees.
>
>Laura - I am anxiously waiting to hear who told you about that because I
>would sure love to know more details.
>
>Thanks
>
>Tina
Hi Tina:
Of course it is your decision but from the patient I am thinking of with
"short gut syndrome" you would be trading one set of problems for
another. But that is your decision.
Just because they are able to reanastomos (too lazy to look up the
spelling :<) the small bowel to the rectum that doesn't mean everything
would be "normal". You would probably have constant diarrhea and maybe
even cramping with it. The woman I am thinking of had all kinds of
"malabsorption" problems and I don't think she had 90% of her small
bowel removed. She had Crohn's and they had resected portions at a time
until this happened. But everyone is different. Good luck. I hope
Laura can answer your questions.
Chris S.