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Has anyone had a problem with a leak? My pouch for UC was done in December w diverting ostomy. At takedown, no leak on contrast fluoro. Felt awful ever since and found to have pelvic abscess from leak. Tx'ed w antibiotics at first. Only offered drainage after symptoms came back three weeks after off abx. Drainage by CT and abx have not stopped the pain and tenesmus. I have been offered CT w rectal contrast to check if still leaking, which I think is reasonable, and redo ostomy for two mos if so. I have had a terrible time with each surgery and hospitalization, have had four bouts of infection with sepsis and peritonitis, and am terrified. Anyone have to go through anything similar, and did it help?
I have changed surgeons, though I wish I felt well enough to go to the Cleveland Clinic for care! The first surgeon did not take my symptoms seriously until I was barely able to walk. As a surgeon myself, I was horrified by the whole experience, but I'm in another field and had little idea of what to expect. I just don't know whether the leak should go away on its own, as my first surgeon said, or if the only fix for this is another procedure. Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

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Did they leave the drain in place for a prolonged period, or just at the time of the CT guided drainage. I had an abscess due to a leak, and had a drain placed under CT guideance and left in place for a month, with weekly CTs to check for collapse of the abscess pocket. The drain was not removed until the pocket was fully collapsed. I did not need follow up antibiotics and the leak did not recur. Apparently, the leak occurred early on and sealed off, but leaked enough to cause a huge abscess (>500cc) in the presacral area. If the abscess is not drained to the point that the pocket collapses, the space will just promote further fluid collections and more abscessing.

Jan Smiler
Jan Dollar

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