Dr. Phillip R Fleshner, MD

Dr. Fleshner performed a mucosectomy on me during J-pouch surgery, removing all the rectum and the nerve-rich anal trans...ition zone, a procedure which has been abandoned for the past decade except in cases of cancer. Removing these tissues undermines continence, perhaps the single most important determinant of quality of life after surgery. The Cleveland clinic (Clin colon rectal Surg. 2010 December; 23 (4): 239-247 says the stapled tissue-preserving technique is safer, provides higher quality of life. Anastomic stricture, septic complications, small bowel obstruction and pouch failure were higher in the hand-sewn group compared with the stapled group.
Even the BmI of patients in stapled group was higher than in handsewn mucosectomy group. I have day seepage, night incontinence, have had sepsis, and am low weight. He did not tell me beforehand what he was going to do or that I had any choice. No doubt he is a good surgeon who takes pride in doing a difficult technique such as mucosectomy, but at what cost to his patients? I would have preferred a less skilled surgeon who preserved my bodily function. more details