Barbie & Ken Butt Surgery - What to Expect and How to Prepare

I need to eventually get the rest of my colon taken out and Barbie butt surgery (I have extremely tight strictures in my colon so they can't see in to see if I have any polyps, etc.). I can't shake the vision of a home health nurse coming and me spread eagle with cooch and all out for them to tend to the booty hole surgery site. Also thinking that it is extremely painful to have your arse sewn shut when you sit. Are my thoughts accurate? Am I in for some humiliation and pain?

Vivid imagination gone wild. I like it. Your worries are not an issue, kiddo.

"Spread eagle?" Naw... hardly the case.

I'm a bit concerned, though, at what follow-up care you think you need at home? Once you are sewn up down there, you need rest and recovery. A person to help you cook, clean, just be there in case you need help. You will need help, but not a nurse. Maybe 2-3 weeks post-op.

What's up with visiting nurses?

Unless I missed something in your explanation? I don't see any aftercare in your future.

You wait a few weeks. Then see your surgeon to follow up. Ask about showering, which will be difficult getting into the tub.

In my case, I had leaks requiring dressing changes. That sucked but was never spread eagle. That's what you need to be careful of... popping a stitch or some kind of leakage.

Also, I found my surgeon actually sewed my two cheeks together, like a bridge? That feels weird. You should ask about that and whether laparoscopy or traditional surgery he plans.

I'm gonna review your message in case I missed something. Sit tight... others will be chiming in... you are in good hands.

Moments later...

Surprisingly, there's not much pain... discomfort, yes.

There are other threads on this site addressing this surgery. Check them out.

Sitting comfortably will take several months. It varies with a lot of people.

My surgery was Oct, '23. Even with some fixing to my ass leaks stitches, I'm back to work and sitting normally... no worries. Just give yourself time.

Surgery in this area is very hard on your body. You will get by fine. Just have some home help... son? Daughter?

Regarding the home health nurse -- I guess I was just basing it off of my surgery where I got the ileostomy. They didn't shut my abdominal wound and it had to be packed daily. Lord, I hope they don't sew my actual cheeks together!

Ha ha.. yeah, I can see what you mean with the ileo home care..

But once you're sewn up down there, you are good. No packing. And I think you might need thin pads maybe. To wear.. protect underwear.

Oh.. he stitched the cheeks to prevent the stitches from blowing. I don't like this.

Hi Bex, the surgeon didn't sew my butt cheeks together, and I had little to no pain, slight discomfort, no drainage, no packing, all is good. You'll be fine, Linda

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

I have a Ken butt like Warrior does. I didn't get my cheeks sewn together like he did, though. I did develop a post-op infection that put me back in the hospital. That part wasn't so fun.

In terms of pain, I had some discomfort for about 2 weeks. And it was uncomfortable to sit for several weeks. Now I have heard to not use a seat cushion because it can lead to the stitches coming out, but I had no problem using one. Sometimes I just used a small pillow to sit on.

My surgery was back in October 2023 like Warrior, and I also am back to work without restrictions. I can sit in a chair, drive the car long distance, etc. without problems.

Good luck!

You'll be fine. You still have the button. Good luck.

Bex, of course we all base our next experience on our prior ones, but you'll have your privacy after this one - discomfort but no humiliation! I had internal stitches that dissolved and discomfort while sitting for a couple of months. Got through it and sit just fine now.

Just to clarify the cheek stitches... got crack? Yeah, but. Hee hee... not like it used to be.

If you can imagine... an area close to the rectum hole about 1/2 up from there is where this "bridge" between the two cheeks meets. Naturally, scar tissue and hardening feel very weird.

I'm not sure the surgeon will cut that piece... but... butt? Geez... I don't want to feel that when I sit, damn it.

Yeah, gonna have the talk with him.

Again, it's a small area down near where the rectum was, not both entire cheeks clamped... no...

Talk about a tight end? 😆

Oh, and here come the wise "cracks." 🤔

G-Day Bex,

You will be OK. I was lucky when I got my Ken Butt; I had no pain at all and was able to sit right away, just lucky maybe. With my Ken Butt, they just stitch the butt hole up; they don't stitch your cheeks together. All I did as a single guy was go stay with a good friend for a couple of weeks, then back home. You will be OK.

Regards, IGGIE

You'll be good. Not sitting for a few weeks is tougher than you think, but eventually, you'll start to do it more as you heal. No donut cushion or sitting on the toilet; they both cause a lot of stress on your stitched-up area till you heal. My wound nurse gave me a partially filled square air cushion to use to sit on. It really wasn't that bad pain-wise, just make sure to keep up on pain pills if needed; they don't work so well if you wait to take them once you actually have pain. I lived on Tylenol for about a month.

It's not comfortable, but in time it gets easier, about three months for me. A soft cushion in the car helps, plus an inflatable ring. Avoid tight knickers and try a male G-string instead. Worked well for me. P.S. more women wear male G-strings than men. Lol lol...

You can't have surgery without pain; you already know that from what you've already been through. I had my rectum and anus removed over 20 years ago. My cheeks weren't sewn up, luckily, as I got an abscess after surgery, so that made it easier to drain. Yes, I had nurses visiting me to change dressings, but to be honest, after all the surgery I'd had, I never found it embarrassing. On the plus side, one of the very nice nurses showed me her tanned legs after just coming back from a holiday she had been on, so it made the surgery worth it, lol. I was sitting down the day after surgery. Yes, it was uncomfortable, but nowhere near as painful as I thought it was going to be. The pain I was getting before surgery was much worse, not to mention the awful smell I was getting from mucus that was leaking 24/7. That really was embarrassing; you really could smell me coming, that's no exaggeration.

I had total pelvic exenteration surgery in October, and yes, they sewed my butt cheeks shut. It took a while to be able to sit comfortably for very long, but it's healed up pretty well now.

Here in the UK, they sew up about 2/3 of your cheeks, at least they did mine. It was uncomfortable sitting down for about 3 weeks. A donut cushion is definitely a no-no; it puts a lot of strain on the stitches. I found a soft latex cushion the best option.

Good luck with your recovery.

Hi Bex,

I have the Barbie/Ken butt and did get my cheeks sewn together. It wasn't as bad as you anticipate. The pain was okay. The surgeon told me the lower the surgery in that area, the less the pain, so I'm thinking that's about as low as you can go!

The best thing I did was to hire an electric reclining chair for 1 month post-surgery. The $170 was a bargain.

It is a surgery that is well worth it. With my original ileostomy, I had mucus coming out of my rectum even though I had the bag. But after I was all sewn up shut, no more of that crap coming out of me! The surgery has pain, but get yourself a good cushion to put under your butt for a good few weeks, and you'll be good to go! If you won't or can't get a reversal, this is a good way to go.

Hi, I'm a permanent ileostomy Barbie bum girl. Going through the Barbie bum was OK for me. A bit sore, but it gets better. Hang in there, you got this! All the best.

Hi Bex3000. When my colostomy was made permanent, I had no issues with a 'condensed' butt. As a matter of fact, I took pride in the fact (and still do) that people can no longer call me an a-hole, because I don't have one. It's one of my more cherished post-ileostomy lines...

"Cherished post - ileostomy lines."

Hmm. I think you got the start of a new thread here. Cool.

Anyone? Anyone? Go.

"I'm not wearing an a-hole anymore. I can prove it. What I do wear in place of it could bag slap you."

"Oh, this thing here? Is my poop purse. You need change?"

Hi, I'm a newbie and probably getting this surgery in 3 weeks, just waiting on scan results. How are you healing now? Do you have both colostomy and urostomy? 

Getting a Ken Butt keeps you safe if you have to go to jail. IGGIE