Do you still have your rectal stump Richard? I don't see how they could construct a new j-pouch without it.
I was diverted first and when it was obvious my j-pouch wasn't going to get better my j-pouch and rectal stump were removed 6 months later. My surgeon spent 3 hours, during the laparoscopic diversion surgery, taking care of my abdominal adhesions/scarring. During the open surgery to remove the j-pouch and rectal stump she spent another 3 hours on the adhesions and scarring. Besides the 2 open surgeries to remove my colon and j-pouch creation I've had other 3 abdominal surgeries. I had an abdomen full of adhesions and needed opiates for the pain that they caused. After she removed everything and did her magic on my adhesions I am in less pain but still need some pain medication.
The removal of my j-pouch and rectal stump surgery took 8 hours - 5 hours adhesion related and 3 for everything else. My surgeon said the removal surgery was more complicated that the surgeries creating it but the recovery was much faster and better. The incision was longer than when my colon was removed too. The most problematic part of the recovery was the pain in the anus area. It took months of sitting on cushions to keep it from hurting. I recommend you get a nice cushion. I got one from the Mayo Clinic after the surgery plus I bought another one so one was in the car.
I imagine since they are going in through the anus area that he will have more trauma than people having open surgeries have. So please anticipate that in his recovery time.
Did they already deal with the abscesses or are they going to do it all in one surgery? I hope all goes well! He is use to the ileostomy so he won't have to contend with all that goes with getting a new one.
Thanks for your warning for others contemplating removal surgery.