Caecostomy Surgery for Children
Caecostomy Surgery for Children is done to clear the bowels of feces of a child when other treatment has not worked.
Some facts about Caecostomy Surgery for Children:
- Caecostomy Surgery for Children is done for children with fecal incontinence caused by major health problems when your child can’t control his or her bowels.
- Having severe constipation or a bowel movement at an unexpected or embarrassing time is the symptoms for Caecostomy.
- A tube (catheter) will be inserted by the surgeon into the first part of the large intestines (cecum) which is in the lower right abdomen.
- Lliquid medicine will be injected into the cecum through this tube which helps coax the feces out of the body through the rectum.
- Caecostomy Surgery is also done for imperforate anus in which the anus isn’t letting feces pass as it should, spinal problems, such as spina bifida or other muscular problems.
Preparation for Caecostomy Surgery for Children:
- Your child may need a bowel prep to clean the colon before the tube can be put in.
- Your child will have to be on a clear-fluid diet for 2 days before the cecostomy for the bowel prep.
- Your child will likely need to drink a laxative solution the night before the procedure which help cleans out the bowels.
- Your child will have an abdominal X-ray on the day of the procedure to make sure the bowel is free of stool.
Procedure for Caecostomy Surgery for Children:
- Your child will have to stay in the hospital for the procedure to insert the cecostomy tube.
- Medicine will be given through an IV (intravenous) line to your child that helps him or her relax during the procedure.
- General anesthesia will be given to put your child to sleep.
- Usually the colon will be inflated with air until the cecum is expanded by a healthcare provider.
- Surgical tools will be put through small cuts (incisions) in the skin and into the cecum by the healthcare provider.
- A special hollow needle will also be put into the cecum.
- The catheter will be threaded through this needle and into the cecum.
- This procedure can also be done with a laparoscope in which a laparoscope will be put into a small incision in the belly button by the healthcare provider
- Occasionally, the cecostomy itself will then be done to relieve the bowels based on your child’s needs.
- Your child will stay in the hospital until the next day for observation once the cecostomy tube has been put in which will help lower the risk for complications.
- A contrast study is also done to make sure that the catheter is placed properly.
- Contrast dye will be injected through the tube and into the cecum and then an X-ray will be used by the provider to look at the dye to make sure that it travels into the cecum.
- The first step in easing fecal incontinence is putting the cecostomy tube in place.
- You will have to give your child an enema through the cecostomy tube at home after about a week, with guidance from your child’s healthcare provider.
- This process will involve putting liquid into the cecostomy tube which will pass into the cecum to encourage a bowel movement.
- Your child’s healthcare provider will let you know how often this will need to be done.
