Seeking Info on BCIR (Barnett Continent Intestinal Reservoir)

Hi everybody in Ostomyland! I have a question that I would like to ask you guys if you know anything about BCIR. I stumbled upon this procedure by accident and I was kind of curious if this is something that may be good for someone who doesn't want to be bag dependent. I have read that this surgery can be performed at the Palms of Pasadena Hospital in Florida. I don't know if it could be performed anywhere else or not. All the reviews that I have read were good and all the patients said that this was the best decision that they ever made! Of course, reviews can be overrated and made up just to sell something. So I really don't put a lot of stock in it. If this does work and if my insurance does cover it, it may be something that I may be interested in. To have control over when you go to the bathroom sounds great! No more blowouts, and most importantly, no more appliances hanging off the belly! Saves money in the long run also... So people, if you know anything about this, please tell me, okay? Hope to hear from you guys soon on this matter. Take care... Chris

Chris, I have had a continent ostomy since 1991. Best decision I ever made. It is not a BCIR but a Koch pouch. I had a regular ileostomy in 1960. The surgery and recovery can be rough. But once you were through that, I feel the quality of life is much better. I had my surgery here in San Diego. There are many places throughout the country that will perform this procedure. I wish you the best of luck. Let me know if you decide to do the procedure and how you were doing afterwards. I am always here to offer support.

Chris, I just had my K pouch surgery done at Cleveland Clinic, by Dr. Deits, on the 24th of February. Now 4 weeks out, I spent 6 days in the hospital. It was about a 4-hour surgery. So far, yet I am glad I had it done...to not have to worry about the bags blowing out, the itchy rashes, and the list goes on. To me, it's a chance to get back to as close to normal as you can after losing my colon. I had the Brooks Ili for 3 years, lost it to UC. Yes, I had some rough days in the hospital. Now that I am home, I am doing pretty good. Every day's a good day. My doctor told me it takes about 4 to 6 months to completely heal. This does come with some restrictions, but to me, it is oh so worth it...keep us posted, and I will do the same as I continue this journey...best to you...

Thank you for your response. I contacted a nurse there and she told me that I wasn't a candidate because I had a colostomy. From what I read, they use the small intestine, not the large intestine. They can remove my large intestine if they want. I want to be life free without the bag, and from what I read, most patients are extremely happy with it! I am having the nurse mail me the information so I can read more about it. Once again, thanks for writing back. Chris

Hi Bamba, isn't a Koch pouch the same thing basically? I will look it up and do some reading. I like to learn as much as possible when it comes to this. Thanks for writing back, Chris.

Words of Encouragement from Ostomy Advocates I Hollister

Hi Beth20, how are you? Hope all is well with you too! Thanks for your response on this matter. I am going to do some reading on the K-pouch. In my other response, I put that the nurse told me only ileostomies are good candidates, not colostomies. Go figure, they use the small intestine, not the large. The nurse is sending me some information in the mail. I will check it out when I get it and I will keep looking online. Your friend, Chris.

Yes, they use about 18 inches of your small intestines, and create a one-way valve. If you go on Cleveland Clinic's website, you can find out more information. I too found that not many doctors do this type of surgery, and not many folks even know about it, which I think is strange. They have been doing these since the early 80s, with everything each one is different. If you have more questions that I can answer, ask. I studied up on this for almost 3 years and found it to be the best thing for me. Best to you as you continue your search.

Thank you Beth20 for explaining it to me. So why can't they do it if you have a colostomy? The small intestines are right below your stomach on the right side, right? Then you have the large intestines and they go to your bowel. So since my colostomy is on the left side, all they have to do is take that out and leave the small intestine to make the pouch. I will look at the website and see what I can find out. Heck, life without a bag would be great, you know? Thank you. Chris