You might need a colostomy bag after diverticulitis surgery, but not always; it depends on the severity, location, and type of surgery, often used temporarily to let the colon heal by diverting waste through an abdominal opening (stoma) into a bag, with a reversal surgery possible later, though some patients may need it long-term.
You'd need an ostomy because surgery removes part of your colon. That means there's no way for poop to move through your colon to your rectum and out of your body. An ostomy reroutes how poop leaves your body.
If you need emergency surgery, your doctor may perform a surgery called Hartmann's procedure, in which he or she removes the diseased portion of the colon and cleans out any infected areas in the abdominal cavity. This procedure requires general anesthesia. It can be done using laparoscopy or an open technique.
Some conditions that may require a permanent colostomy include:
Honestly, recovering from diverticulitis might take up to two weeks. In the initial days of recuperating from straightforward diverticulitis in the comfort of your home, you'll be on a liquid diet, taking it easy, and using the prescribed medications for pain relief.
When your colon is inflamed from diverticulitis, we may not be able to perform a simple anastomosis and rejoin the healthy sections. Instead, we may need to remove the entire diseased portion of your colon and create a hole called a stoma in your abdomen.
If you don't get treatment for diverticulitis, the inflammation will only worsen. Once infection sets in, the symptoms will get more painful and severe. In addition, you could experience other serious side effects such as a tear in or a stricture (narrowing) of the colon, an abscess, a fistula, or peritonitis.
A colostomy may be needed to manage serious infections or tears in the colon caused by diverticulitis, a condition that causes swollen, bulging pouches in the wall of the colon. Trauma or injury. Injury to the colon, such as from an accident or gunshot wound, may require a colostomy. Bowel blockage, called obstruction.
In his new autobiography, Matthew Perry reveals that his colon burst as a result of his addiction to opioid painkillers. The 53-year-old actor, who played Chandler Bing in Friends, was in a coma for two weeks following the incident and had to wear a colostomy bag for nine months.
After a colostomy, the bottom part of the bowel no longer has poo passing through it, but it still produces mucus. Dead cells from the lower bowel or rectum may be mixed in with the mucus. The mucus may leak out of the anus, or you may feel the urge to go to the toilet.
A recent trial comparing elective surgery and conservative management for patients with recurrent diverticulitis revealed that surgery was associated with significantly higher GI-specific quality of life (DIRECT trial),10 emphasizing the importance of patient-specific outcomes in this disease.
The worst things for diverticulitis during a flare-up are high-fiber foods, red/processed meats, sugar, fat, alcohol, and NSAIDs like ibuprofen, as they can worsen inflammation and symptoms; instead, focus on a temporary low-fiber diet (liquids/soft foods) and gradually reintroduce fiber after healing to prevent future attacks, consulting your doctor for personalized advice.
After Surgery
You will be admitted into the hospital for 4 to 8 days. During your stay, you'll be monitored carefully to make sure you're healing well and that your colon has started working again.
A colostomy may be needed if you cannot pass stools through your anus. This could be the result of an illness, injury or problem with your digestive system. You may have a colostomy to treat: bowel cancer.
Typical diet to prevent diverticulitis
Over time, keep adding fiber to your diet by including high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. High-fiber foods may lower your chances of getting diverticulitis again. Drink lots of water to keep fiber moving through your digestive system.
Colostomy irrigation is a method to manage stool output. It might replace the need for a bag for some. But, it's not right for everyone, based on health and lifestyle.
This wasn't some weird Hollywood plastic surgery move, though. Nope, Perry's missing fingertip is the result of a childhood accident that left his finger lacerated after getting it caught in a car door. Ouch, right?
Yes, as of late 2025 and early 2026, Charlie Sheen is sober, marking several years of sobriety after a major decision in December 2017, motivated significantly by his daughter, Sami, and a desire to be a better father, focusing now on a consistent, family-oriented lifestyle. He's candidly discussed his past struggles in his memoir The Book of Sheen and the Netflix documentary aka Charlie Sheen, detailing his journey to quitting drugs and alcohol for good.
As is the case with most major medical procedures, having an ostomy isn't without its challenges and tradeoffs. The ostomy bag learning curve might be steeper than you'd like in the beginning. You may struggle with leakage or irritation at first. You may have to adjust your diet to prevent gas.
In most cases of surgery for diverticulitis, a colostomy is not required. However, sometimes this is not the case.
The inability to pass stool for more than a few days at a time can be a sign of a significant blockage in the intestine that may require a colostomy. In cases of severe bowel and colon problems, symptoms might include: Fever.
Ostomy supply coverage
If you have Medicare Part B coverage, then your ostomy supplies are covered. (As noted above, Medicare pays 80% and you pay 20%.) You must have a prescription, signed and dated by your doctor, on file with your supplier.
Although most patients hospitalized for diverticulitis do not require immediate surgical resection,2 they remain at a lifetime risk for both recurrent episodes of diverticulitis and emergency colectomy and/or colostomy.
While the cause of diverticular diseases is unknown, several studies have associated the conditions with low fiber intake, excessive alcohol use, anti-inflammatory medications, steroids, obesity, lack of exercise, and smoking.
A: Colonic perforation can happen in the setting of acute diverticulitis. Diverticulitis is inflammation or infection (or both) in a balloon-like pouch called a diverticulum in the intestine.