About
A stoma is an opening that a surgeon creates in your abdomen during a surgical procedure. The purpose of this opening is to allow feces or urine to flow out of the body and get collected in a bag that fits over the stoma. This way, a stoma opens into a bag, which should remain tightly adhered to the skin around the stoma.
A stoma can be either temporary or permanent, based on the underlying health condition. The purpose of this bud-like structure is to collect feces from the intestinal tract or urine from the urinary tract and pass them out. This opening allows a diversion in an excretory pathway to bypass the remaining diseased or removed portion of the pathway to pass out the feces prematurely. This internal diversion and the stoma should not stop you from living your life normally.
Why may you need a stoma?
- Some medical conditions, such as bowel cancer and inflammatory bowel disease, may lead you to require a permanent stoma.
- Some medical conditions may require you to have a temporary stoma. You get that stoma so that your bowel could heal before your surgeon considers reversing your stoma.
- Doctors may choose to create a stoma from your urinary tract if you must undergo a surgical procedure to get your bladder removed. Conditions that might turn out to be reasons for bladder removal include bladder cancer or prostate cancer.
Types of stoma
The type of stoma you need depends on the reason why you need it. It has also much to do with the location of the stoma. The doctor will generally create a stoma on the lower part of the abdomen. Let’s talk about the types of the stoma.
Three main types of stoma are listed below.
The type of stoma you need depends on the reason why you need it. It has also much to do with the location of the stoma. The doctor will generally create a stoma on the lower part of the abdomen. Let’s talk about the types of the stoma.
- Stomas that allow the excretion of feces are created by bringing the end of the small intestine or colon through an opening in the abdominal wall.
- Stomas that collect and pass out urine are created by attaching ureters to a small piece of the small piece from the large or small intestine.
Three main types of stoma are listed below.
- A stoma that your doctor creates by bringing small intestine through the abdominal wall is known as an ileostomy. The stool evacuated by an ileostomy is typically liquid.
- An opening from the large intestine to allow feces to leave your body is known as a colostomy. A colostomy essentially bypasses rectum and anus. The stool evacuated by a colostomy is more firm.
- The stoma that collects urine from ureters before evacuating it through its opening is known as a urostomy. This type of stoma bypasses the bladder.
Managing your stoma
The stoma management almost entirely depends on the type of ostomy appliance that you are using. The type of ostomy appliance that you will need to use depends on a number of factors, including the type and consistency of bodily waste you have to deal with. Furthermore, it is crucial to take care of your peristomal skin, because it is the surface that has to form a tighter seal with the skin barrier of an ostomy appliance. There is an entire set of peristomal skin complications that you need to avoid to manage your stoma in the best way possible.
The stoma management almost entirely depends on the type of ostomy appliance that you are using. The type of ostomy appliance that you will need to use depends on a number of factors, including the type and consistency of bodily waste you have to deal with. Furthermore, it is crucial to take care of your peristomal skin, because it is the surface that has to form a tighter seal with the skin barrier of an ostomy appliance. There is an entire set of peristomal skin complications that you need to avoid to manage your stoma in the best way possible.