Ostomy & IBD, plainly
Sourced explainers — slower and cited, not breaking news.
Life after pelvic exenteration: what a 2026 systematic review of 23 studies says about quality of life, body image, and living with a stoma
Pelvic exenteration is one of the most radical operations in gynaecological cancer care, and it usually leaves a person with one or two stomas. A 2026 systematic review brought together 23 studies (1,655 patients) on quality of life afterward. The honest picture: overall quality of life often stabilised or recovered beyond six months, but sexual function, body image — frequently tied to stoma formation — and psychological distress commonly stayed worse. No randomized trials existed and most studies carried a serious risk of bias, so this is a careful synthesis of observational evidence, not proof of cause.
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Bowel-wall ultrasound at week 4–8: a 2026 systematic review on whether intestinal ultrasound can flag treatment response in IBD early — and the parts the same review keeps small
A 2026 systematic review and pooled data analysis in the Journal of Crohn's & Colitis brings together 31 studies (18 Crohn's disease, 9 ulcerative colitis, 4 acute severe ulcerative colitis) on intestinal ultrasound as a non-invasive way to predict treatment response. In anti-TNF-treated Crohn's patients, a roughly 23% drop in bowel wall thickness at week 4–8 carried an AUROC of 0.82 for predicting later response — useful, but heterogeneous studies and small UC/ASUC subsets mean this is a research-direction read-out, not a personal decision rule.
JAK inhibitors for moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis: what a 2026 meta-analysis found — and the long-term questions that remain
A May 2026 meta-analysis pooled 14 placebo-controlled trials of Janus kinase inhibitors in adults with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis. Short-term efficacy looked substantial across clinical and endoscopic measures; short-term safety mirrored placebo; the long-term safety questions stay open by the authors' own admission.
AI-guided decisions on a temporary ileostomy in rectal cancer surgery: what a 2026 randomized trial showed — and the caveat its authors put in plain sight
A May 2026 randomized controlled trial in Nature Communications tested a machine-learning tool, RTID, against surgeon discretion to decide whether patients undergoing rectal cancer surgery should also receive a temporary diverting ileostomy. The tool roughly halved the overall stoma rate without an apparent rise in anastomotic leaks — but the same trial was, by the authors' own admission, underpowered to formally prove safety equivalence, and that caveat belongs alongside the headline.
A new target on the horizon: a 2026 systematic review on anti-TL1A therapy for IBD
A May 2026 systematic review in the Journal of Crohn's & Colitis traces TL1A — a molecule the immune system uses to drive gut inflammation — from laboratory work into early clinical trials. It is not yet a treatment people can use. It is something worth knowing is being worked on.
Beyond bacteria: why researchers are now looking at gut viruses and fungi in IBD
A 2026 review argues the gut's viruses and fungi have been comparatively overlooked in inflammatory bowel disease. Here's what that does — and does not — mean for patients.
Practical living
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Drinking against the bag: what a 2026 scoping review says about oral rehydration solutions and the ileostomy hydration problem
Staying hydrated with an ileostomy is harder than it looks, and plain water isn't always the answer. A 2026 scoping review surveys what the evidence actually shows on using oral rehydration solutions to manage the fluid and electrolyte side of ileostomy life — and where the gaps still are.
Eating less to feel safer: what a 2026 review says about over-restricting your diet with an ileostomy
Many people with an ileostomy quietly cut food down to avoid problems. A 2026 nutrition review looks at what that trade-off can cost — and why blanket restriction is not the same as good management.
Ostomy complications, grouped: what a 2026 clinical review lists — and why it points to your care team
A 2026 clinical review catalogues the known ostomy complications into earlier and later ones. It's a map of what exists, not a checklist for self-diagnosis — and that distinction matters.
Nutrition
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Which supplements actually have evidence in ulcerative colitis? What a 2026 network meta-analysis found — and what it didn't
People with ulcerative colitis often ask which supplement is worth trying. A 2026 network meta-analysis pooled 24 small trials of 14 different supplements; the headline is more careful than the headlines.
A liquid-only diet for Crohn's: what a 2026 review says about exclusive enteral nutrition in adults
Feeding the gut only formula for a few weeks can calm a Crohn's flare — well established in children. A 2026 review asks how strong the evidence really is in adults, and where the catch is.
Could GLP-1 drugs help with a high-output stoma? What a 2026 review actually found
GLP-1 receptor agonists — the drug class behind weight-loss headlines — are being looked at for high-output stomas. A 2026 scoping review says the early signal is interesting but the evidence is still thin.
Awareness & community
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When the tumour sits very low: what a 2026 review says about sphincter-preserving surgery for rectal cancer
For rectal cancers very close to the anus, the hardest surgical question is whether the muscle that gives you control — the sphincter — can be kept, or whether removing it (and living with a permanent colostomy) is the safer way to clear the cancer. A 2026 narrative review surveys six sphincter-preserving techniques: most reach acceptable cancer-control outcomes, but bowel function afterwards stays the main concern, and the newest method rests on small studies. This is a survey of options, not a ranking — and the right answer is individual.
Does filling the colon with water make colonoscopy easier? What a 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis of 30 trials actually found
Water infusion — filling the colon with warm water instead of air or CO2 — has been studied as a gentler way to do a colonoscopy. A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis pooled 30 randomized trials: it found no difference in adenoma detection, reaching the cecum, or procedure time, but fewer people needed on-demand sedation (risk ratio 0.61) or abdominal pressing (risk ratio 0.65). A comfort finding, not a detection upgrade — and whether it's offered depends on your endoscopy unit.
Ear, nose and throat signs in IBD: what a 2026 systematic review actually documents
Joints, eyes and skin are the extraintestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease that most people have heard of. A 2026 systematic review pulls together the ear, nose and throat side of the picture — uncommon, mostly documented in small case series, but consistent enough that the authors think clinicians should be looking.
Microbiota and FMT in IBD: what a 2026 systematic review actually surveys
Patients with inflammatory bowel disease hear a lot about the gut microbiome and about fecal microbiota transplantation — sometimes presented as a quiet cure, sometimes dismissed as fringe. A 2026 systematic review pulls the current literature together and draws a more honest picture: established for one infection, still investigational for IBD itself.
Does IBD play a role in cognitive decline? What a 2026 systematic review of 66 studies actually says
Brain fog and forgetfulness are something the IBD community has talked about for years. A new 2026 systematic review pools 66 studies and finds the link is real enough to take seriously — and small enough, still, that the careful word in every sentence is 'associated'.
When 'temporary' isn't: what a 2026 meta-analysis says about loop ileostomies after rectal cancer surgery
A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis pooled 19 studies and nearly 10,000 patients to ask a simple, uncomfortable question — when a diverting loop ileostomy is planned as temporary after rectal cancer surgery, how often does it actually become permanent?