Kara,
That is sort of good news...I have had leaks for all sorts of reasons...you can go through the list and check off the ones that seem unlikely or possible.
1. a crook in the valve (it is like an indentation in the side of the valve that holds about a tsp of gunk and sort of slips out anywhere from a few mins to hours later. (I have it, it freaked me out at first but not anylonger...By the way, it comes from when my pouch fell and me repeatedly hitting the side of the vavle with the tube). The fix? None for now.
2. You pouch is down (fallen totally or partially off of the wall) meaning that it is pulling on the valve and pops it open when overfull or for other reasons. The fix? You need to have the pouch reattached. Laproscopy is possible. This is not to be taken lightly, the pouch can eventually adhese to other organs and cause future problems.
3. Peristomal hernia. A hernia that is very close to the muscle holding the valve into place. The valve is no longer held tightly in the abdominal muscle and wiggles and moves. That can cause leakage. The fix? Laproscopic surgery with mesh to repair the hernia.
4. Valve twist. The twist pops open the valve at inconvienient times or when the pouch is full...need attending by a k pouch surgeon.
5. Valve sinks. You would know it if it happened...you would have problems reaching the valve with the tube and your skin would try to close up over it. (OUCH) The fix? Valve surgery (unfortunately)
6. You have damaged the valve through rough intubations, not using lube (there is always time for lube!) or yanking hunks of junk out of the pouch. It usually starts with pain, bleeding and then gas incontinence followed by other gunk. The fix? Valve surgery.
7. Ulcers, stenosis, polyps etc...all of the other stuff that I know nothing about. They all need to be addressed by a k pouch surgeon.
8. Pouchitis or overfilling...it can irritate the valve and cause leaks.
9. Food chunks, skins and fibers getting stuck...they eventually come out.
10. Valve stretching...it happens. Again, only a kpouch surgeon can fix this.
By the way, I am a firm believer in keeping the tube in for a long period of time to see if it scars in that way.
If a contrast study is needed then have the radiologist start by dripping a few drops of the Opac fluid directly into the valve to visualize it and its condition first.
That's all I've got...
Sharon