A surgical procedure in which the colon and rectum are removed and part of the ileum (the lowest part of the small intestine) is used to construct an internal pouch in which waste collects. Ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is performed to treat large- bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis. This procedure ensures a high degree of continence and an acceptably low number of daily bowel movements. The operation is done in a hospital under general anesthesia.
A reservoir constructed in the terminal ileum of patients who have undergone colectomy, designed to create fecal continence. The pouch may be sewn or stapled together in a J-, W-, or S-shape. The procedure is complicated by inflammation (“pouchitis”) in about 50% or by stricture formation in about 10% of patients.