What are the Surgical Options for Ulcerative Colitis?
For patients with ulcerative colitis, diseased sections of the colon and rectum can be removed (a procedure called resection) and healthy sections rejoined (anastomosis) for continued bowel function. This can provide remission of the disease but the unfortunate reality is that eventually the disease is likely to redevelop in the healthy tissue, often near the location of the anastomosis. Surgery can usually “cure” ulcerative colitis by removing the entire colon and rectum a procedure known as proctocolectomy. For many years, the result of this surgery was an ileostomy diversion of the small intestine directly to an opening in the skin through which waste was collected in a small bag worn about the abdomen. While this sounds drastic, multitudes of patients who have undergone it have led active, productive and fulfilling lives. Since 1980, a procedure that allows the patient to maintain relatively normal bowel function even with the colon and rectum removed has been used successfully in
