Colostomy surgery may be an answer to several digestive conditions, including colon cancer, intestinal obstruction, Crohn’s disease, and diverticulitis. The idea of having colostomy surgery can be fearsome for many people, but the truth is that it may improve their quality of life, or even save their life. The surgical procedure to create a colostomy involves the removal of a part of the colon and bringing the end of the active part of the colon out through the abdominal wall to create a stoma, which allows the stool to leave the body. The patient has to wear an ostomy bag over the stoma to collect the waste. A colostomy can be permanent or temporary. A temporary colostomy, or loop colostomy, is when your doctor chooses to put the diseased part of the colon to rest. This procedure may involve making an incision on the side of the colon, and bringing that side out through the abdominal wall to create a stoma. This way, the stool passes out of the stoma instead of proceeding to the diseased part of the colon. When the colon heals, the surgeon reconnects both ends and put the colon in its natural arrangement. A permanent colostomy, also known as end colostomy, is when your doctor decides to remove the diseased part of the colon due to severe illness that becomes untreatable. After removing the diseased part of the colon, the surgeon brings the end of the active colon out through the abdominal wall to create a stoma. Types of colostomy surgery Each colostomy type differs from the others based on the colon’s location where a stoma has to be created. A colon can be divided into four segments: ascending, transverse, descending, and sigmoid.
Surgery: what to expect Colostomy surgery is generally a major operation, which requires you to stay in the hospital for 7-10 days. The recovery at home can take six weeks. It starts with the preparations that you are going to have to take several days before surgery. It could include discontinuing medications that you take. Your ostomy care nurse will run several tests to make sure that you are fully ready to undergo the surgical procedure. You may have to take laxatives a day before surgery to clear your colon. The surgical procedure starts with the surgeon administering anesthesia to put you to sleep. You will remain unconscious during the entire surgical procedure. After you will awake, the stoma care nurse will attach a stoma bag over your stoma. You are going to have to use stoma bags to manage your colostomy for the rest of your life or until your doctor decides to reverse your stoma. During the hospital stay, your nurse will guide you through the process of stoma care that includes emptying and changing the ostomy bag, and taking care of the skin around the stoma.
You may be able to leave the hospital after the initial recovery completes, and your bowel starts having movements. The recovery at home may take six weeks. During this time, you are going to have pay attention to your diet, and make sure that you have complete bed rest. After six weeks, you may start including your favorite foods in your diet, and engage in physical activity. It is crucial to remain in touch with your ostomy care nurse and doctor as long as you have a stoma, which might mean an entire lifetime if you have a permanent colostomy. It looks terrifying at first, but you will get used to it over time, and it won’t be bothersome anymore.
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Kendrick Villasenor
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