Start 2009 Off Right With Taking Care of You

What people who have continent ileostomy pouch, a Barnett (BCIR) Pouch or a Kock pouch can do to live a healthier life and better take care of themselves.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) December 17, 2008 -- What better time then a new year, to focus on you and your loved ones. If you or a loved one has a continent ileostomy pouch, a Barnett (BCIR) Pouch or a Kock pouch, it's a good idea to have an annual checkup to make sure you are healthy and your pouch is working effectively.

According to Dr. Don J. Schiller of Los Angeles, CA and Medical Director of Olympia Medical Center's Continent Ostomy Center "It is important patients have a Complete Blood Count (CBC)." Sometimes patients with any type of ileostomy become anemic. If you are anemic additional blood tests include an iron panel, vitamin B12 level, folic acid level and Ferritin level. Finding out early is the best way to prevent complications.

Next, a patient should perform their own self checks by answering the following four questions: 1) How many times s day do you intubate? 2) Do you have any leakage of gas or waste? 3) Do you have any difficulty inserting your intubation catheter? 4) Do you have to severely limit your diet to manage your pouch?

If a patient intubates more than 4-5 times a day, they have excessive gas or cramps or noisy gurgling, they may have smoldering pouchitis. If so, antibiotics and Probiotics are helpful with pouchitis and treatment should be individualized.

If patients have leakage or any difficulty with intubation, a pouch endoscopy can be very helpful. This is done without any sedation or even starting an IV. It is like intubating plus having gas blown into the pouch to see the lining and the nipple valve more clearly. Many conditions can be diagnosed with a 10 minute pouch endoscopy, including slipped valve, redundant and angulated access segment, stricture, and fistula and or course pouchitis.

Dr Schiller believes annual checks and ongoing communication with your surgeon is key to a healthy and long lasting you.

At Olympia Medical Center's Continent Ostomy Center all rooms are private rooms. In addition, the Center cares for many Ostomy patients who don't have a BCIR but come for surgical procedures including stoma revisions, repair of stoma hernias, repair of incisional and other hernias.

Located in the heart of West Los Angeles, Olympia Medical Center has been providing medical care to its community since 1948. Services at the 204-bed acute care hospital include comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services, and a 24-hour emergency room. Specialty programs include the California Digestive Diseases Institute, Take Off, a Medical and Surgical Weight Control Program, the Los Angeles Center for Spine Care and Research, the Southern California Sports Medicine Institute, the Center for Wound Management and Hyperbaric Medicine, the Continent Ostomy Center, the Center for Geriatric Health and the Memory Institute.
   
At Olympia Medical Center, we are dedicated to clinical excellence, delivering health care services in a patient-centered, community-focused environment. We not only try to meet your expectations--but to exceed them as well. Quality and compassionate care…it's our commitment to you.
   
Olympia Medical Center is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. To learn more about Olympia Medical Center visit www.olympiamedicalcenter.com
and www.ileostomy-surgery.com

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