Hi all. I've had my k pouch for four years but after some leakage I recently went in for a valve revision. My surgeon had planned on doing the usual, new valve and turning the pouch around. However, when he got in he saw things weren't as bad as suspected. The valve had just slipped a little out of place so he simply moved it to the right spot and restapled it. In other words, I still have the same valve but more importantly I still have the same old pouch I've had for four years. I was sent home with the constant drainage cath but I've been thinking--why do I need that if it's the same pouch and there really isn't need to worry about stretching it? Wouldn't I be just as good intubating and irrigating every two hours or so for a while? I would really like to not have to have this drainage tube until my post op appointment August 21st. What do you guys think? Should I give my surgeon a call and see if it's necessary for that long? Just wondered about some other experiences out there. Thanks!
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I'd give him a call for clarification. However, I think the point is that with the valve repair, he does not wanting you to traumatize the valve while it is healing. Even if this a mnor repair compared to what was proposed, it is vulnerable to damage during intubation.
The constant drain is not to stretch, but to rest.
Jan
The constant drain is not to stretch, but to rest.
Jan
Dylan,
When your surgeon operates on your valve he needs to tack things down with either sutures or staples which stay in place until the valve heals or they are reabsorbed or fall out depending on his preferences, technique and your body's healing process. When you keep the tube in place for a month it serves to allow your vavle to scar into positon or place and prevent those precious staples or sutures from moving while doing so...if you are pulling out and pushing in your tube regularly you can hook those sutures/staples and rip them out before your valve is healed and then you would be back to square one...needing another repair. The other utility is that while your tube in stuck in there you cannot eat fiberous or chunky foods thus preventing the tube from being blocked and requiring it to be pulled out, unblocked and pushed back in...that constant unblocking and pulling out of chunks can also rip your vavle so by staying on a light diet you are preventing another source of danger...I have litterally ripped my valve by over eating romaine lettuce and pulling out a huge ball of fiber stuck to the end of the tube...
Just be patient and allow thing to heal up normally and then you can go back to a normal, happy k pouch life...
Sharon
When your surgeon operates on your valve he needs to tack things down with either sutures or staples which stay in place until the valve heals or they are reabsorbed or fall out depending on his preferences, technique and your body's healing process. When you keep the tube in place for a month it serves to allow your vavle to scar into positon or place and prevent those precious staples or sutures from moving while doing so...if you are pulling out and pushing in your tube regularly you can hook those sutures/staples and rip them out before your valve is healed and then you would be back to square one...needing another repair. The other utility is that while your tube in stuck in there you cannot eat fiberous or chunky foods thus preventing the tube from being blocked and requiring it to be pulled out, unblocked and pushed back in...that constant unblocking and pulling out of chunks can also rip your vavle so by staying on a light diet you are preventing another source of danger...I have litterally ripped my valve by over eating romaine lettuce and pulling out a huge ball of fiber stuck to the end of the tube...
Just be patient and allow thing to heal up normally and then you can go back to a normal, happy k pouch life...
Sharon
Thanks guys! What you both said makes sense. I guess I'll just have to be patient
I'd leave it in. My friend just had surgery and formed a fistula due to things not healing right. Let those staples and things settle to prevent anything horrible happening.
I wore a leg bag for 2 weeks or so to straighten out a kinked valve and it sucked so I feel your pain but when it is done healing you won't have to deal with it anymore. If it gets damaged it might set you back to having more surgery.
I wore a leg bag for 2 weeks or so to straighten out a kinked valve and it sucked so I feel your pain but when it is done healing you won't have to deal with it anymore. If it gets damaged it might set you back to having more surgery.