Rectum Removal Surgery: Hospital Stay & Recovery Experiences?

Had my rectum and anus removed. 14 days in hospital. The recovery was not that much of a problem apart from two small drain holes that refused to heal until after 4 months. The medics admitted that there was an infection, and then, lo and behold, it healed in a week. Go for irrigation as soon as possible; it removes 90% of the problems from colostomy bags.

I had the abscess thing that required medicine and a drain being placed. Since then, no problem. I'm still recovering. I'm just able to sit for 20 minutes at a time right now.... I understand.

Drfields24 had a colon and rectum removal in 2009. 5-6 days in the hospital and 2-3 weeks at home walking a lot. Start slowly and when you can, increase distance and time. The walking is a whole body wellness regimen. It worked for me. Just no moving objects with your feet, not even a door stop.

Be well,

Scooter Trash

I'm almost 4 weeks post-surgery and my biggest issue is hemorrhoids. It was quite sore the first week but manageable with pain meds.

Haven't heard of irrigation, but I'm interested. Could you tell me more about it?

Shocking though this may sound, it isn't an unusual procedure for rectal cancer. It requires a colostomy. I can recommend the Cleveland Clinic and their much less invasive robotic surgery if that can be arranged. I can recommend the surgeon, but I am not sure what the rules on this site are. I was in the hospital for about 5 days. My abdomen was never that sore, but my butt was sore for at least a year. Write me back if you'd like to know more.

Richard

Thank you.

Irrigation involves introducing, through a cone, normal warm tap water into the bowel through the stoma. This can be done from a bag hanging at shoulder height or a special pump. Approximately 1 or 1 1/2 liters is used, the water temperature is approximately 37 degrees Celsius. The bowel responds by evacuating through a sleeve into the toilet. This all takes approximately 30 minutes. It keeps things clear for 24 hours for some people, 48 hours for others. No sudden bag changes or leaks or odor problems and confidence to live normally.

I just had that done in March. I had a colostomy and rectum done at the same time. I am still on the mend. I did too much after the surgery and split the stitches and go for wound care every day for at least another month. I keep thinking I'm thirty so used to bouncing back fast. Do what the dr. tells you, take it easy after surgery; I made the mistake of doing too much.

I had a total proctocolectomy in November 2015, so my anus/rectum were removed at the same time as my colon. My best advice to you is to get an Ehob waffle cushion. Do not get a donut cushion! I ordered my waffle cushion from Ehob directly, and it came inflated, but you can get them on Amazon and at Walmart -- just Google and see where they are available near you. They come in different sizes, and believe me, they do help.

I keep the area dry, that was the main thing. I also purchased a sitz bath that fit on the toilet so I could soak in warm water and dry very, very well after that. But I am sure your doctor and his staff will give you all that info.

Good luck! Oh, I was in the hospital for 3 days... went in on a Tuesday morning at 5:30, surgery at 7:30 (about a 6-hour surgery) and home on Friday morning... but then I was fortunate that I had no complications whatsoever.

Paula

Sasquatch,

What is your hurry in taking out the rectum? You haven't said why you have an ileostomy...UC? I had an emergency ileostomy done in 2012. Instead of having my rectal stump removed, I decided to get proactive and research into what I could do to reduce my inflammation. It is now 2018. Last Nov., I had my stump scoped and there is now NO sign of UC anymore!!! The surgeon just wants to leave me alone. (My first surgeon wanted to take it out) But I now have options which is empowering:)) The rectal stump removal does NOT guarantee the eradication of UC. That is a falsehood. It can pop up elsewhere and as autoimmune issues. It is better to work at reducing inflammation. I use my rectal stump as a gauge as to whether I have active UC or not. Just food for thought. Rectum removal is a tough surgery to heal from. One person I know personally took a year to heal. It is a very personal decision. All I say is make your well thought out and researched decision your own, not just what a surgeon says.

Thank you. I had the same surgery in March 2018, and I'm still recovering. Do well.

Hi, I had mine done at the same time as my colostomy surgery. I had rectal cancer. When I asked why it was necessary, it was mentioned to prevent problems with intestines trying to get out. Ha, not good. Recovery was about 5 weeks until stitches were removed. The worst part was the intense itching as they were drying out. A gel pillow from Costco made sitting not too bad. I still use it for long flights and car trips. Overall, it wasn't too bad. Haven't looked back. Good luck and take care.

Wow, another surgery, kind of sucks. I will pray for you. I had this done about 38 years back, so I don't remember much about it. Except that it was not as bad as I expected or as I was told it would be. I'm sure it's completely different now. For me, they split me stem to stern. I'm thinking now they do minimally invasive. I think I sat on a donut for a few days or so, but it healed up quickly enough and has not been a problem for the last 4 decades. Stay strong. For me, I don't remember being given the choice. They were going in, and they were taking all they could. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect because I figured there would still be a hole without any control. The way they described it to me, they needed to leave at least a small opening for "drainage" (sure, whatever). Anyhow, I have not had any issues with the backside, but that damn stoma itch.

Hi, you probably are still trying to comprehend what is happening. I didn't believe it until days before the op. I had arguments with my doc, but there was no option. I had everything from my lower bowel removed and replumbed with a stoma for life, but it was better than the alternative. I was in the hospital for 10 days. The stoma was okay; it took a week for my stomach to work, but the removal of the bits below was not good. I'm sorry. Get an inflatable cushion before you go home and lots of soft pillows as you will try to sleep in different areas of your house. It was 4 months before I could sit without a bag. I have other man problems because of the surgery, which is getting me down, but at least I'm alive and that's the most important lesson.

I had the surgery almost a year ago to the day. I had rectal cancer, so I had to have it removed along with a third of my colon. I was in the hospital for two weeks, but only because I developed an infection. I had actually gone home for a day after a week-long stay but noticed drainage that shouldn't have been there and ended up back in the hospital for another week. I had radiation treatments prior to surgery and apparently there is about a 50-50 chance for radiation patients to develop infections. Obviously, the odds for me were higher than most, and I don't mean to scare you, but unfortunately, infections are a risk even with minor surgery. If the infection had not happened, I probably would have been okay and back to a "normal" life in a couple of months. I can't speak to what life is like with an ostomy and still having a rectum, but I can say that once I recovered, it has had no negative influences on my life. It still hurts a little when I sit for long periods, but that has also improved with time. Getting used to having a stoma and its care has been the hardest thing for me to get used to. But not having an anus sounds weirder than it actually is. God bless!

Hi, I had colon rectal cancer removed 5 years ago. Not sure if you have an ostomy bag for the rest of your life, but I do. My stay in the hospital was 6 days. The week after that, I was back working out with weights. I am still cancer-free, and I wish you all the luck in the world. If you have more questions, I would be glad to answer them... Dennis

Had everything removed from the small intestine down 5 years ago. It took a good year for the rectum to heal - was forewarned of this by my surgeon - but (no pun intended) still have some problems with pain to this day. Took a pad to sit on wherever I went and still need to use it on longer car rides. I still can't sit on harder chairs for more than a few minutes.

PaulaAZ's tips are spot on.

Salut comme-ci comme ça. Tu es francophone? Je suis prof de français et j'ai vécu longtemps en France. I wish you the very best on this ostomy adventure. It's great to have support from those who understand the ups and downs of bag life. I've had mine for almost nine years and am thankful every day to still be alive!

Hi there.

I had my rectum removed in January 2018. I had low rectal cancer, so I had to have an AP resection. I was in the hospital for 6 days and off work for 5 weeks. I got a support belt for work and doing things around the house and yard. I think the worst part of it all is the sitting. It was very painful for a few months. Even sitting on the edge of the bed for a short time hurt when I rose. It still feels uncomfortable, hurts a bit if I am at the computer for too long, but at this stage, I am cancer-free, which is the main thing.

Hi Martin, I think you mean irrigation, yes?

Hi Dr. Fields. You'll probably need more prayers if you don't have your rectum removed. At least, according to my surgeon. I had my colostomy in November of 2016 and my rectum and anus removed in November of 2017. The primary reason was to eliminate any chance of cancer due to the severity of my ulcerative colitis. My hospital stay was 9 days. Recovery took longer because the stitches performed by the plastic surgeon team failed to disintegrate and were causing irritations all along the incision. So I ended up with an additional surgery in late January to redo the stitching. Recovery has been relatively swift. It feels strange to not have an anus, but at least no one can, accurately, call me an asshole. It's not a bad "club" to join. You'll be fine which is, of course, our goal!...

Yes, I had it done in September 2017!

Rectum j-pouch removed and permanent ileostomy. The surgery probably saved my life! I was almost living on the toilet, my anal area raw from the non-stop watery bowel movements. I never slept for more than an hour at a time. I was exhausted and miserable. My quality of life was, well, non-existent.

The surgery involved 6 hours of reconstruction then 2 more hours of plastic surgery.

The most difficult part of the recovery was that I had to stay off of my bottom for weeks. I couldn't lie flat on my back and I couldn't lie on my stomach. One side or the other. No sitting period. No bedpan because urine would contaminate the incision. I had to squat over the toilet.

Recovery was difficult but God brought me through and looking back I'm so happy I had it done. I have my life back! Literally!

I don't know anything about you or your current challenges but if your life is anything like mine was, do it. After recovery, you will be so glad you did.

I had mine done at U of M in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Samantha Hendrin. Excellent surgeon! I received excellent care. No regrets!

Hope I didn't scare you!

Good luck!

I had my colon and rectum removed 9 years ago due to colon cancer, and I have no complaints. You should expect to have no limitations on your life unless there are other things going on. I came home from the hospital after 4 days and did some work from home the following week. For me, the rectal wound took a long time to heal. It was mostly healed pretty quickly, but the new skin needs to fill in (it's called granulating), and in that area, it tends to get pulled as your cheeks move and moist from sweat, not ideal for healing. The thing that really worked was to keep it very tightly packed with gauze, changing it daily (or possibly less often if changing it disturbs it too much). Roll some gauze up to about the size of a pencil and poke it in to keep the area dry and undisturbed. Let the ends stick out to make it easy to remove. In the beginning, if you are actually bleeding, you might need to change it more often.

Hi, I ended up having mine removed due to an abscess. When I had my temp colostomy they left it and I hated it because there was mucus that drained and to me it smelled, so when I got colostomy made permanent they removed it. The only issue I have about 5-6 times a year is phantom pain there. I still feel like I have to go to the bathroom and it is the most sickening feeling, but no other problems in the last 29 years.

Since I was only 21, I was in the hospital for 10 days and off work a total of a month.

Good luck - Lisa

Hi Dr. Fields..... Best of luck to you. Recovery with the rectal scar varies. Some people take a very long time to heal...others not so much. I have had my ileostomy for more than 50 years....since I was 15.... But the doctors had me wait another 4 years before removing the diseased rectum (Ulcerative colitis). They had hoped it would heal, but it never did. I fought for the surgery despite the doctors and my parents, and I've never regretted it. I don't remember exactly how long it took to heal....as I had other complications that kept me in the hospital for 10 weeks. But remember that was in the "dark ages".... I do remember that it took me awhile to sit comfortably, and riding a bike or going horseback riding took more than a year. But I was lucky in that the incision closed without infection.. No "wound care" back in the day...

Hello.

I have a couple more questions if it may ask... So, are you all saying that after I come home from the hospital, I will only be lying on my side all day and night? Does a pillow underneath not help? Also, because of the gauze, will I still be able to shower every day? Will I need to wear diapers at first to help with the drainage? Sorry for asking so many questions.

Is removing rectum a big deal? I have my colosomy almost 2 years, kind of dreading reconnect at 63. Anus mucus ;is manageable. I had dverticulitis and then burst. So can I eat popcorn now since they rearranged everything? Just asked gastroent if i could eat nuts and he said yes.

Hi Dr. Fields, ask all you want - that's why this forum is here :-)

I can only speak for myself. I had everything (ileostomy + rectum) removed at the same time so my issues weren't only rectum related.

* The rectum removal itself caused me no problems as far as sleep position (positioning was problematic due to the abdominal surgery and the resulting fluid build-up).
* I could sit relatively comfortably on a cushioned couch.
* I could not sit on a "hard" chair for quite a while (still limited after 5 years).
* Always took a cushion with me in a car (still use it for long travel).
* I replaced gauze daily.
* Very important to keep the area dry during healing. I could shower but thoroughly dried the area (hairdryer - not too hot).
* I had no need for diapers. Any bleeding/drainage absorbed by gauze.
* I do still get the "phantom pain/urge to go" as has been mentioned.

One further note: My surgeon told me I had hemorrhoids the size of lemons and a lot of tissue had to be removed. This may be why my recovery was on the hard side.

Hi Dr. Fields, as I have posted before, my colostomy and rectal closure were all done at the same time 4 years ago. My surgery was done laparoscopically and robotically, so recovery was quite quick. I only had minimal abdominal discomfort. The rectal stitches were actually more uncomfortable but tolerable. I was allowed to shower after I was released after 6 days. I found that if I faced the shower head, I got less water running over my bottom, so it stayed drier. I never had gauze packing. I was also able to sleep on either side or back, not tummy, for obvious reasons. Yes, I still occasionally get the feeling that there is something stuck in my butt, but that is small potatoes and not a big deal. I am still walking around. Yeah. I hope all our answers have helped. Take care and good luck. God bless.