A surgically created opening that allows a section or a piece of the bowel to evacuate bodily waste is known as the stoma. Patients with the medical conditions, which hamper the natural function of their natural excretory pathway, are candidates for a stoma.
Common types of stomas
A type of stoma is identifiable by where in the excretory tract it is created upon.
- A colostomy is created from the colon, which means that the stool coming out from it passes through an active part of the colon.
- An ileostomy is created from the small ileum, which means that the stool has to pass out by essentially bypassing the entire colon.
- The stoma created to divert urine away from the bladder is known as a urostomy. Doctors create this stoma if bladder removal becomes necessary.
An intestinal stoma passes out the stool whose consistency depends on which part of the intestinal tract is the stoma created. An ileostomy produces looser stool because it has to leave the body without passing through the colon, whose one of the significant role is to absorb any water from the waste. Colostomy, on the other hand, results in more firm stool with more flatulence.
What is a stoma bag?
A stoma bag is a pouch that collects the stool or urine passed out by the stoma. This bag consists of soft and waterproof material.
The stoma bag fits around the stoma and adheres to the skin tightly to form a secure seal. The stoma bag’s component that adheres to the abdominal skin is known as the skin barrier or flange. The surface of the skin barrier that has to go against the skin is laden with the medical-grade adhesive. The type of bag you need will depend on the type of stoma.
Why may you need a stoma?
Generally, your doctor might consider giving you a stoma if you have an underlying medical condition that hampers your natural excretory pathway’s ability to pass out stool normally. You might also have to get a stoma if the removal of the diseased part of your intestines remains the only solution to save your life.
The most common reasons for the formation of stoma include the following.
- Trauma to the organs inside your abdomen
- Cancer in the bowel, bladder, or pelvic organs
- Medical conditions such as Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, and ulcerative colitis
- Congenital abnormalities
- Neurological disorders affecting toileting
Living with a stoma
You are going to need some time to recover from stoma surgery. It’s the time when your bowel will take some time to adapt to this new length of the intestinal tract. Also, you might not yet be ready to accept this lifelong change in your body. This is when you need to reassure yourself that your stoma is there for good. The stoma indeed changes the way an excretory pathway work, and this change might not be the pleasant one, but this change is the only way you can return to an active and healthy life.
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