Wondering if anybody can help me here?
I have a loop colostomy right now, and in the near future, I am hoping to have it changed to an end one at the sigmoid with a Hartmann's pouch. Now I am a bit worried, and even though I do have an appointment with a surgeon to discuss the issues of concern, I've found in the past that doctors don't always tell you everything and what's more, don't seem to know it half the time. So, I'm wondering if anybody knows if this is correct- according to several PubMed and Elsevier articles, the mortality rate for the Hartmann's procedure varies from 9 to 21%...and I can't say I'm at all comfortable with the possibility of dying at this point in my life. Supposedly the rate drops when the procedure is done by a colorectal surgeon, but my colorectal surgeon only does laparotomies, and he referred me to his associate when I said I would prefer it be done laparoscopically...but his associate is not a colorectal surgeon. He specializes in laparoscopy, bariatric surgery, and does colonoscopies with biopsy. My appointment is with him, and it's on Friday, but now I'm a little unsure.
Other issues are, for people who have had this procedure, what exactly happens with the blind pouch that's left in there? In what way does it differ from what happens in a loop colostomy? I've heard things about it rupturing, or atrophying, or developing occult precancerous polyps which develop into cancer without being noticed since that bit of bowel hasn't got much of a job to do anymore aside from passing a bit of mucus. I really don't want to affect the condition of my rectum in any way because I have had enough problems with it, and even though I doubt I'll ever bother with it, I may be eligible for reversal. I would prefer that area to stay as it is and have my ostomy moved from the transverse colon to a position where it can be better regulated and where it will not be so active and bags will last longer and interfere less with my clothes (no more huge balloons under my shirt covering half of my abdomen or dissolving wafers hopefully).
Fortunately (I think?), I am 20, generally pretty healthy, and my ostomy is for benign disease, though I have always been mildly to severely anemic.
Also, I joined this site 5 or 6 months ago and have not been very social...I have posted a couple of questions and not a lot of answers or other content...I hope this is not interpreted as me being a leech who demands and does not contribute...I don't really know much about what a lot of people ask as I haven't been through as much as many of you, my issues were mostly just written off as me being a hypochondriac and no diagnosis or treatment offered for many years. I have also been busy and dead tired as I had a baby girl a couple of months back and am staying with my parents temporarily to get some health and financial issues squared away so I can take my daughter home, and we can be with her daddy. Not excuses, just reasons. I hope no one takes offense.
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