A section of the bowel brought out through the abdominal wall is known as the stoma. It serves as an opening to evacuate your body wastes. You will have to wear an ostomy bag over the stoma to collect those waste materials.
What are the types of stoma?
There are two types of intestinal ostomies or stomas: colostomy and ileostomy.
- A colostomy is formed by bringing a part of the large intestine through a cut in the belly. The wastes passing out of this opening are firmer compared to an ileostomy because the active part of the colon removes moisture from the stool. You will have to wear an ostomy pouch over the stoma to manage stool evacuations.
- The second type of intestinal ostomy is an ileostomy, which is created by bringing a part of the small intestine out through a cut in the abdomen. This ostomy is also managed by wearing an ostomy pouch over the stoma. Your doctor may choose to give you an ileostomy as a part of the treatment of rectal cancer. This ostomy allows the disconnected part of the bowel to rest and heal. The waste passing out of an ileostomy is usually liquid.
Your surgeon and nurse will explain to you the reasons why you need an ileostomy. They will also tell you about the type of stoma you need and also its duration. However, you may not be able to meet a nurse if you have to undergo a stoma operation in an emergency. You will get to meet the surgical staff and nurse only when you are going for a planned surgery. Sometimes, you may not even know if you are going to end up with a stoma after bowel surgery. In such cases, the surgeon has to decide during surgery whether or not to give the patient an ostomy or stoma. Even after surgery, you will get plenty of time to speak to your nurse about how to cope with this new change in your body.
Stoma supplies
You will get the first batch of stoma supplies when you go home from the hospital. After those supplies are used up, you can get the new ones from a local chemist or order them online. Nonetheless, you will need a prescription from your doctor before you can order these supplies.
Stoma reversal
If you have a permanent stoma, you will have to live with it for life. It is not that hard as it sounds. Once you adapt to an ostomy care routine, it will become your second nature. If you have a temporary stoma, you will need to undergo another operation for its reversal. During this surgery, the surgeon will reconnect your healthy bowel with the now-healed part of the intestinal tract. After this procedure, you will be able to pass out stools like everyone else. However, you may need a bit of time before your bowel functions fully resume.
Managing your stoma
Managing your stoma can be a challenging affair if you are not fully ready. The first thing is to get mentally prepared and then remain in touch with your ostomy care nurse to know everything you need to manage your stoma.
