About

An ostomy refers to an artificial opening made in the abdominal wall to allow an intestinal diversion to evacuate stool through it.

Types of ostomies

The type of ostomy depends on the location of the diversion on the intestinal tract. There are three main types of ostomies.

1. The first type of ostomy to talk about is the ileostomy. This ileostomy is formed at the end of the small intestine (the ileum). The stomal output passing out of an ileostomy bypasses the colon and the rectum.
2. The second type of ostomy is a colostomy. This type of ostomy exists on the large intestine, also called colon. There are four subtypes of a colostomy, depending on which portion of the colon has the stoma. The closer the stoma is to the small intestine, the lesser formed will be the stool passing out of the stoma.
3. An ostomy that involves diversion of ureter away from the bladder is known as a urostomy. Surgery that creates this ostomy involves the surgeon cutting a 6-inch piece of the small intestine. This piece of the intestine serves as a pouch to store urine coming through ureters. On one end of this piece of the intestine are the ureters connected, and the other end sticks to the abdominal wall to form a stoma. A urostomy is generally permanent because the surgical process of its creation almost always involves the removal of the bladder.

About the stoma

The stoma, as mentioned above, is the ending of the small or large intestine sticking to the abdominal wall. It is usually red and moist. The shape and size of the stoma vary depending on the type of intestinal diversion it has to support. The stoma protrudes a bit from the skin. The one that recesses below the skin is called a retracted stoma. On the other hand, the stoma with above normal protrusion is called a prolapsed stoma.

There is no nerve ending in the stoma, which means that it doesn’t feel any pain. It consists of delicate tissues, which can break easily to cause bleeding. However, it shouldn’t be a reason to panic as these tissues can heal quickly. If you are noticing excessive bleeding, you should contact an ostomy care nurse immediately.

Reasons for having an ostomy

The most common reasons you might need an ostomy may include the following.

• Cancer in intestines, bladder, or rectum
• Bowel perforation
• You may need your bowel to rest to heal itself from a particular disease
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Birth defects
• Accidents
• Neurological disorders

Remember, any of the problems mentioned above do not always require an ostomy for their rectification. Doctors will try their best to treat these issues without giving you an ostomy. Ostomy is often the last resort for a problem that’s beyond being treatable.