Ileostomy Surgery News: “Surprise, surprise,” says a Los Angeles ileostomy expert. “Painful peristomal hernias can actually lead to something good”

LOS ANGELES, CA, August 14, 2006 – A Los Angeles ileostomy surgery expert says most people who suffer from peristomal hernias are astonished to learn that the often painful condition can actually lead to something good.

"This medical complication – also known as a herniated stoma – can provide a life-transforming opportunity to live life without ‘a bag,' says Dr. Don J. Schiller of the Ileostomy Surgery Information Center.

“Patients tell me it’s like turning lemons into lemonade."

The Los Angeles physician says a little-known surgical procedure called a BCIR not only repairs the herniated stoma, but also corrects it "so the patient never needs to wear an external appliance again. Having a BCIR provides a bag-free life. Most patients don’t hear about it until they’re faced with the unfortunate circumstance of repairing a herniated stoma.”

BCIR is an abbreviation for an ileostomy surgery procedure known as the Barnett continent intestinal reservoir, named for the American doctor who developed the modern-day version of the kock pouch, a self-sealing internal pouch that temporarily stores waste and eliminates the need for an external appliance or ‘bag’.

A peristomal hernia – defined as an abnormal gap in the muscles of the abdominal wall – occurs when the opening, which is surgically constructed for the stoma, tears. “Coughing, sneezing and straining, along with the pull of gravity, gradually cause the opening to get bigger,” says Schiller. “The result is a bulging that makes it difficult for the bag to stay on, and this can be very painful.”

When this happens, says Schiller, there are three ileostomy surgery options:

• Repair the damage at the existing site, often using mesh-like fabric to rejoin the muscles.
• Relocate the stoma to the opposite side of the abdominal wall by performing abdominal ileostomy surgery.
• Or, most dramatically, says the surgeon, “Take down the ileostomy by creating the internal pouch with a BCIR – thereby eliminating the need for an external appliance.”

Schiller says repairing peristomal hernias with BCIR ileostomy surgery turns a negative into a positive – “a no-bag life,” he says.

The most satisfied BCIR patients receive long-term personal care from their surgeons, says Schiller. “The doctor and patient develop a relationship. The patient is comfortable picking up the phone and calling his BCIR doctor with questions. The surgeon stays in touch with the patient’s hometown physician and essentially educates the family doctor in the best ways to continue treatment after BCIR ileostomy surgery. Of course, the patient is always free to reconnect with the surgeon if problems arise.”

Schiller says insurance is not a concern. “BCIR ileostomy surgery is a widely-known, approved procedure listed in all the medical code manuals, including Medicare. Managed care networks engage out-of-network surgical specialists because there are so few BCIR specialists around the country. Sometimes,” says Schiller, “it takes a few months, but we are always successful in obtaining authorization. The BCIR surgeon’s office participates actively in the process.”

For more information about BCIR ileostomy surgery and peristomal hernias, visit www.ileostomy-surgery.com, or contact Dr. Don Schiller through the Ileostomy Surgery Information Center by calling (310)204-4565.


Focus: ileostomy surgery, Los Angeles ileostomy surgery, BCIR