Pouchitis

Diagnosis

To diagnose pouchitis, a healthcare professional will likely start by taking a medical history and doing a physical exam.

Confirming the diagnosis may include tests, such as:

• Lab tests. Blood tests may be done to look for other medical conditions. Stool tests may be done to look for infection. The results can help determine what type of antibiotics are best for treatment.
• Endoscopy. Endoscopy uses a tiny camera on the end of a flexible tube to visually examine the ileal pouch. During endoscopy, a sample of tissue, called a biopsy, may be collected for testing.
• Imaging. A healthcare professional may recommend an imaging test, such as MRI or CT scanning, to find out what is causing symptoms.

Treatment

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are the most common treatment for pouchitis. Most people improve within 1 to 2 days of starting antibiotics and do not develop pouchitis again. The full course of treatment is usually 10 to 14 days, although longer courses are sometimes needed.

Someone who has regular flare-ups of pouchitis may need ongoing maintenance antibiotic therapy. Using probiotics may help prevent pouchitis from coming back.

Surgery

On rare occasions, pouchitis doesn't respond to daily treatment. Then surgeons may need to remove the pouch and do a permanent ileostomy.

Clinical trials

Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.

Living with pouchitis?

Connect with others like you for support and answers to your questions in the Ostomy support group on Mayo Clinic Connect, a patient community.

Ostomy Discussions

See more discussions