What is a stoma?
A portion of the bowel or urinary system is brought through the abdominal wall and stitched to the skin, to create a surgical opening or spout. This allows faeces and urine to be passed.
What type of stoma will I have?
There are different types of stoma. The main three are:
Colostomy
A portion of the large bowel is brought through the abdominal wall, to allow faeces be excreted, bypassing the anus. It is usually located lower left side of abdomen.
Ileostomy
A portion of the small bowel is brought through the abdominal wall, to allow faeces to be excreted, bypassing the large bowel. It is usually located lower right side of abdomen.
Urostomy
A portion of the small bowel is used to form a tube to which the ureters are attached to. The tube is then brought through the abdominal wall to allow urine to be eliminated, bypassing the bladder. It is located lower ride side of abdomen.
What will my stoma look like?
A stoma will differ from person to person. A person’s body size and shape can affect the size, length and shape of a stoma.
Common characteristics of a stoma are:
- It is red and moist to the touch.
- It can bleed easily, as the bowel has a good blood supply.
- It has no nerve endings therefore it has no feeling or sensation.
What will it be like after surgery?
A. Immediately after surgery the stoma will look very swollen. This will subside 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. It will also be very red; this indicates a good blood supply.
Will I be in pain?
You may experience some pain as you will have had major surgery. Hospitals have a wide range of pain relief and you will be regularly monitored to keep on top of any pain.
How will I know what to do with the stoma?
- Whilst in hospital learn as much as you can from the specialist stoma team.
- You will be visited by the stoma team within the first or second day after surgery to teach you how to change the pouch as well as to offer support.
- The pouch in hospital will most likely be clear; this will allow the nursing staff to observe the stoma and what is being excreted. This type of pouch can be changed once you feel confident to change it yourself.
What can I expect the faeces to look like?
- Ileostomy – consistency of the motion is liquid / porridge like stool with some wind.
- Colostomy – consistency of the motion is semi-formed / formed stool with some wind.
What supplies should I take with me when I go out?
The minimum you should take is a pouch, a disposable bag and some wipes.