Hi,
I have finally had a mucousectomy after a long sruggle with rectal pain from what I believe was intractable cuffitis. The rectal cuff has been removed and the pouch has been brought down and anastamosed to the anal canal by hand. The procedure was all done transrectally.
BUT, the recovery is so so painful--not what I had expected at all! I still have an ileostomy, so at least I am not stooling thru' this extremely painful area. I think the horrendous pain is due to the many nerve endings in the anal canal which makes this procedure much more painful than when the pouch is stapled to the rectal cuff.My surgeon did not explain that the pain would be so bad--
Anyone here has had a mucousectomy, please tell me how the recovery goes? I can prepare myself better if I am better informed. I am so so fed up of pain and pain again! thanks,
Rani

I had a mucosectomy too, but at the same time as the main surgery. I had a one-step and was in the bathroom immediately after the mucosectomy was done. Sometimes 20-25 times a day. The first month was quite miserable. Yes, there was lots of pain - up in the area formally known as the rectum. Sort of like a shooting pain. It will go away. It was bad for the first month, bad the 2nd month and by the 3rd month all that pain just disapeared as my body healed.

Just be patient and soon this pain will be a distant memory.

I had a mucosectomy too. I am still in pain around the rectal area. It has been a struggle for the most part. I am six weeks out. However, the pain has mostly gone away by now and just use the occasional tylenol.

Hi Rani,

I wish you a speedy recovery and hope you get some relief from that pain soon.

I also had a mucosectomy during the first surgery (2 steps). I don't recall having severe anal pain, but that may have been because I had open surgery and my whole body was sore. I did, however, have frequent spasms and lots of discharge (clear fluid and mucus).

Thanks for the replies--it seems that most of you had the cuffectomy/mucousctomy as a part of the initial procedure and not for cuffitis as in my case. However, it's good to know that the pain will resolve withen a few weeks at the most. I just hope this procedure will cure me of the rectal/anal pain which has been so persistent ever since my initial surgery.
It's interesting to note that most people with cuffitis respond to medical management and seldom land up with cuffectomy---otherwise I would have had more responses to my query.
Rani

rani,

I hope your pain subsides. A Mucousectomy is on my list of options, I just don't know if I want to go through with it. I've had too many surgeries as it is.

Good luck, get better, and keep us posted!

Hi Bill,
i can understand your reluctance having been in the same situation and then biting the bullet so as to find some relief, hopefully, in the long run. However, it's really testing me at the moment---the pain is quite severe and unrelenting at the moment, esp. when I am on my feet. The oxycontin takes the edge off and makes it more bearable but not enough to let me be functional in any way. But I am only a week out, so I hope it will imorove with time.
If I recall correctly, you have visited with my surgeon, Dr. lavery at the CCF. Unfortuneately, he is out of answers for me!
Rani