I have a j-pouch...and know nothing about a k-pouch and I'm curious about it. What exactly is it? Is it permanent like a j-pouch? What makes you have it instead of a j-pouch? How does it work?

Shannon

A (K) Kock Pouch is an internal pouch in the abdomen with a flush stoma that you empty with a catheter usually around 3 times a day. The pouch is made out of the ileum, just like the J-pouch, but a Kock Pouch also has a valve made out of the ileum to hold stool and gas in the pouch until you insert the catheter to empty it. Usually with the Kock Pouch the rectum is totally removed and you are sewn shut.

The Kock Pouch is the first pouch ever developed and the other pouches, like the J-pouch came after. With the J-pouch they keep the rectal stump and hook you up with a pouch to the rectal stump.

Some people have the Kock Pouch right away, and most have the Kock Pouch with a failed J-pouch. My Kock Pouch is 28 years old and back then in 1978, the Kock Pouch was fairly new in the United States. I have had no further surgery to my Kock Pouch or valve, so I am very thankful. So the J-pouch is the pouch of the day, but who knows what pouch will be next as the medical profession is researching new procedures to improve on past creations of pouches. Hopefully, my Kock Pouch will last a life time, but time will tell. Valves with the Kock Pouch are known to slip, so that would mean a valve reconstruction surgery. There are no guarantees with any surgery. I feel blessed, very blessed with my Kock Pouch.

You can get pouchitis with all pouches, but I think since the rectum is removed with the Kock Pouch that you get pouchitis less. UC can return in the rectal stump of a J-pouch and I feel this can cause more UC like symptoms, when it returns in the rectal stump it is called Cuffitis. Also, with Kock Pouches you can irrigate the pouch to clean it out with water through the catheter so this may help with bacterial overgrowth. I feel it is important to keep your good bacteria in check with all pouches, probiotics and live culture yogurt have good bacteria. If you take an antibiotic, take your probiotic or live culture yogurt 2 hours after the antibiotic so you don't kill the good bacteria as an antibiotic kills the good and bad bacteria.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Jasmine,

Hi, apologies for my ignorance when it comes to the workings of a Kock pouch but i'm interested to know how you know when the pouch needs to be emptied ?
I have a J-pouch and as its attached to the rectal cuff and the sphincter muscles and nerves are still intact, I still get the sensation that I need to defecate.
Do you Kock pouchers get any sensation or is it all just a timing thing?
Again apologies for the bizarre question thats just me and my perverse curiosity

Clive

For me its just a different sort of feeling. I dont think I could describe the feeling I had when I had the JPouch or a normal colon, but now I just begin to feel bloated. Though there are times that I dont feel bloated and just intubate because I know that its about time in my schedule. As long as I stick with my schedule (normally once in the morning, once at lunch, once before dinner and once before bed), I seem to do well.

Mike S

I feel pressure in the area of the valve, stoma and pouch area. I do empty my pouch 3 times a day no matter what though, even if I don't have the feeling of pressure. Sometimes I can feel gas moving around in my pouch, this is usually a sign to empty too. Believe me you just know. If it needs to be emptied more than my usual 3 times a day, than I empty it. You can get crampy feelings if you wait too long. When I have diarrhea, than that is sometimes every hour emptying my pouch.

sorry for another dumb question, but when the kpouch starts to fill up does the stomach bulge at all?

I have a K-pouch and I don't notice any stomach bulge as the pouch fills. Then too, I think I have a smaller than average pouch.

If one gets trapped gas between the stomach and the pouch, they may notice some stomach bulge. [ This can happen when there is a blockage or partial blockage. ]