Our Super Specialty: Pouch Salvage & Continent Ileostomy Program
Columbia's Pouch Salvage & Continent Ileostomy Program offers the most advanced surgical and corrective care for pouch conditions. As part of Columbia/NewYork-Presbyterian's colorectal surgery service, the program harnesses the expertise of a world-class team of specialists in the treatment and research of ileal pouch disorders, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colorectal reconstruction and ostomy avoidance.
- We understand the importance of avoiding ostomy to preserve quality of life. We have designed thoughtful and innovative solutions to achieve that goal.
- The Pouch Salvage and Continent Ileostomy Program focuses on an integrated approach to creating and preserving the ileoanal pouch and the continent ileostomy reservoir.
- We have unmatched experience in pouch construction, revision, and redo of the ileoanal pouch and continent ileostomy reservoir, including K pouch and Barnett continent intestinal reservoir (BCIR).
To make an appointment with the Pouch Salvage & Continent Ileostomy Program, please call us at (212) 342-1155.
Colorectal Care at Columbia/NYP
Our colorectal program provides a unique blend of personalized care that combines medical, nutritional, interventional endoscopic, procedural, and surgical treatments for colorectal, IBD, and pouch conditions - all under one roof.
We aim to serve as a 'last stop' for patients with colorectal conditions that could not be treated effectively elsewhere. From complicated and complex disease management to corrective procedures to address problems resulting from previous surgeries, we provides options for people who have been told they have none.
Who We Treat
Our Pouch Salvage & Continent Ileostomy Program treats patients who require creation, preservation, and/or repair of their ileoanal pouch and the continent ileostomy reservoir, including K pouch and Barnett continent intestinal reservoir (BCIR).
Conditions We Treat
We offer combined medical/interventional endoscopic/surgical management for:
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Correction of surgical complications
- Ostomy avoidance and sphincter preservation
- Pouch creation, salvage, reconstruction
- Continent ileostomy creation and salvage
- Hereditary polyposis and cancer syndromes
- Anal fistula management
- Function preservation for functional bowel syndromes, including constipation and incontinence
Treatments We Offer
Our team offers unparalleled expertise in:
- Non-surgical approaches that integrate dietary and medication optimization that might postpone or avoid surgery.
- Interventional endoscopic procedures that might avoid surgery for benign and malignant colorectal conditions
- Advanced colorectal surgical procedures that eliminate limited or advanced colorectal disease while preserving bowel function and quality of life
- Continent Ileostomy (Kock pouch, or K-pouch)
- Ileoanal anastomosis (J-pouch)
- Valve fixation or revision (this conserves the entire small bowel)
- Reservoir revision
- Neo-continent ileostomy creation (redo of the entire pouch and valve)
Watch a surgical video of the Columbia technique for continent illeostomy (Be advised: graphic content)
Program Highlights
Unmatched Outcomes That Preserve Dignity and Quality of Life
Our program has excellent outcomes for patients with the continent ileostomy seeking management of pouch problems. There is a high rate of pouch preservation after both primary pouch creation and revision using a combined medical, interventional endoscopic, and surgical approach. Our patients consistently report a high quality of life post-surgery.
Thoughtful, Personalized Care for Continent Ileostomy Dysfunction
Our strategies always consider conservative, non-surgical approaches that integrate a combination of dietary, medical, and interventional endoscopy techniques that might postpone or avoid surgery. This method is especially useful for pouchitis, fistula, strictures, bezoars (foreign bodies in the pouch), and problems with pouch intubation, continence, or function. When these other modalities fail, surgery is a good option for salvage of the continent ileostomy.
World-Class Minimally Invasive Options
We are the preeminent center for endoscopy for pouch surveillance, corrective procedures for pouch dysfunction, strictures, fistulae, and pouchitis.
Advancing Care Through Research and Education
Our program works to improve the standard of care nationally and globally through our commitment to high-quality clinical research, global symposia, and the education and training of select fellows. The center’s leadership team has been recognized as top 10 worldwide in terms of impact and influence for the field of colorectal care.
Specialized Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing Support
Our highly trained nursing team has the wound and ostomy care expertise to help troubleshoot problems with intubation, pouch care, seepage, or incontinence.
Out-of-State Coordination of Care
For our out-of-state and international patients, our team helps coordinate office appointments, testing, surgery, postoperative care, and follow-up to make travel and care easy for patients coming from far away. Information on accommodation in the NY/NJ area that allows easy access for consultations, procedures, and surgery is readily available.
Stories & Perspectives
Sara Musikoff shares her experience with severe inflammatory bowel disease, including the multiple operations that it took to repair her digestive tract. Now, Sara is out and about and living life to its fullest. Read the full story at nyp.org.
Our Team
The team members of the Continent Ileostomy Program have vast expertise in the creation, salvage, troubleshooting, and care coordination of the continent ileostomies.
Colorectal Surgery
Gastroenterology (with specific pouch expertise)
Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing (WOCN)
Surgical Nurse Practitioners
Medical Nurse Practitioners
Gerthy Michel, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC
Our Locations
Washington Heights
NYP/Columbia University Irving Medical Center (Main Campus)
Herbert Irving Pavilion
161 Fort Washington Avenue, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10032-3784
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Midtown West
51 West 51st Street, Suite #380
New York, NY 10019
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Upper East Side
12 East 86th Street, Suite #1
New York, NY 10028
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Hudson Valley
NYP/Hudson Valley Hospital
1985 Crompond Road, Building E
Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567
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Make an Appointment
To make an appointment with the Pouch Salvage & Continent Ileostomy Program, please call us at (212) 342-1155.
We accept a number of insurance plans, and our team can help confirm your coverage.
Resources & More
Stories & Perspectives
- An Older Surgery Is Giving Some Patients New Freedom After Colon Removal: New research highlights the continent ileostomy (K-pouch) as a durable alternative to J-pouch surgery, offering improved quality of life without an ostomy bag.
- Read more colorectal news and stories here