Released on = December 6, 2005, 2:46 pm

Press Release Author = Ileostomy Surgery Information Center

Industry = Healthcare

Press Release Summary = Ileostomy surgery is on the minds of thousands of people who
dare to imagine life without 'a bag'. They ask: "Is it possible for someone like me
to live without wearing an appliance? Who do I turn to for information - and will I
have to pay for it?"

Press Release Body = "Ileostomy surgery is on the minds of thousands of men and
women who dream of living a 'bag-free' life," says Dr. Don Schiller, who has
performed the procedure for almost 20 years on hundreds of patients. "A 'bag-free'
life is much more than a dream," says Schiller, who founded the Ileostomy Surgery
Information Center in Los Angeles.

"Unfortunately, many people who could benefit from BCIR surgery have no idea that an
appliance-free life is a real possibility," he says. Schiller is counted as one of
only a few doctors nationally and internationally who is trained to perform this
type of ileostomy surgery.

BCIR is an abbreviation for a type of ileostomy surgery known as the Barnett
continent intestinal reservoir (BCIR), named for the American doctor who during the
1980s developed this modern-day surgical procedure that creates a self-sealing
internal pouch, which temporarily stores waste - and does not require the use of a
bag or other external appliance.

\"Most BCIR patients have had conventional Brooke ileostomy surgery and are
dissatisfied with the external appliance due to physical or psychological
limitations,\" says Schiller. He says other patients need to have ileostomy surgery
to remove their colon and are seeking treatment options.

"Some people mistakenly believe a BCIR is performed for cosmetic reasons," says
Schiller, "but this is not the case. After a BCIR, patients have control over the
discharge of internal waste - and of course, they have the freedom that comes with
never having to wear a bag or other external appliance."

Schiller says the most satisfied BCIR patients receive long-term personalized
ileostomy care from their surgeons. "We develop a relationship. I want patients to
feel comfortable asking questions before and after surgery - even years later. We
stay in touch and I also communicate with their family doctors."

Schiller conducts live, no-cost teleconferences on a weekly basis. "Anyone
interested in ileostomy surgery and BCIR topics can call in and personally chat with
me," he says. Family members can also participate, he says.

"It requires no more than a telephone to join in this teleconference. I answer
questions and provide information, and I don't use complicated medical terminology.
We keep it informal," he says.

For more information on how to participate in the upcoming ileostomy surgery
teleconference, visit ileostomy-surgery.com or call Schiller's assistant Virginia
Grant, at (310) 284-8332.


About Dr. Schiller -

Don J. Schiller, M.D., FACS, is a recognized authority on the BCIR continent
ileostomy surgery and ileostomy information. He has operated on hundreds of
ileostomy surgery patients from all over the world during his 30-year medical
career.

Web Site = http://www.ileostomy-surgery.com

Contact Details = Dr. Don Schiller