The operation is performed under a general anaesthetic and usually takes about an hour. Your surgeon will make a cut on your skin around the colostomy. They will free up the loops of colon used to make the colostomy.
It usually takes 6 to 8 weeks to recover from an ileostomy and get back to your usual activities. But you should avoid strenuous activities or heavy lifting for 3 months while your tummy muscles heal. It's important to rest and take the time you need to adjust to the change in your body.
Getting a colostomy marks a big change in your life, but the surgery itself is uncomplicated. It will be performed under general anesthesia, so you will be unconscious and feel no pain. A colostomy may be done as open surgery, or laparoscopically, via several tiny cuts.
You should be able to eat normal foods and return back to the food you enjoyed before your surgery. You may find that some foods can upset your stoma, but this may be a one off and we would advise you to try them again in a couple of weeks after surgery.
You will be encouraged to at least sit out in your chair either the same day or the day after your surgery and start walking soon after. You may feel tired and a bit wobbly on your legs to begin with but regular walking will soon increase your strength.
You can bathe or shower with or without wearing your pouching system. Normal exposure to air or water will not harm or enter your stoma. If you're showering without your pouch, remove the skin barrier too. Try to create a routine that coincides with when you're due for a pouch change.
The best position to sleep in when you have a stoma is on your back, or on your side. If you prefer to sleep on your stomach, this will be fine at the beginning of the night but increases the chances of leaks as the night progresses and your bag fills.
Many ostomates worry about odour. If the stoma bag fits well there should be no smell except when changing it. If you do notice a smell from your bag, you should check it as there may be a leak under the flange and the bag will need changing.
Closed bags may need changing 1 to 3 times a day. There are also drainable bags that need to be replaced every 2 or 3 days. These may be suitable for people who have particularly loose poos.
Stoma closure is one of the most frequently performed surgeries. The common complications are surgical site infection (SSI) and poor scar cosmesis.
Stomas may be temporary or permanent. A surgeon may make a temporary stoma to allow the bowel to heal after surgery. If you have a temporary stoma, you will usually have a second smaller operation a few months later to close the stoma and re-join the bowel. This operation is called a stoma reversal (see below).
Living with a stoma can seem daunting at first — but you're not alone. Around 46,000 Australians live with a stoma and, with help and support, many maintain a normal quality of life. While it may take time, there are specialist healthcare professionals who can help with the adjustment process.
Your stoma will be moist and pinkish-red in colour and should protrude from your abdomen. It may be quite swollen to begin with but will reduce in size over time – usually 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. A stoma is red in colour. This is because it is a mucous membrane, just like the mucous membrane inside your mouth.
Stoma blockage
bloating and swelling in your tummy. tummy cramps. a swollen stoma. nausea or vomiting, or both.
After your surgery, your urine (pee) and stool (poop) will leave your body through your wet colostomy stoma. Your stoma will have 2 parts (see Figure 1): A urinary diversion. Your urine will flow from your kidneys, through your ureters, and out of your body through your urinary diversion.
You can normally start bathing or showering two to three days after your operation, but your Stoma Care Nurse or ward staff will give you more specific advice.
Make sure your clothes are not too tight around the bag.
You may need to be careful that waistbands do not rest below the stoma restricting ability to drain into your pouch. Depending on stoma placement, you may feel more comfortable with high- or low-rise waistband items, like underwear, jeans, or activewear.
There are specialist stoma underwear, swimwear and clothing companies that produce clothing for people with stomas but this is not necessary to purchase or wear – your usual clothing should be suitable.
Skin irritation around your stoma is usually caused by leakage from your ostomy pouch and the output from your stoma getting underneath the adhesive and onto your skin. It is uncomfortable and can stop your pouch from working well. The skin around your stoma should look similar to the skin on the rest of your body.
For patients not covered by health insurance, a colostomy typically costs from less than $20,000 to more than $60,000, depending on the geographic location, the hospital and the individual case.
Stoma retraction has been reported to occur in 1 to 6% of cases after stoma creation. It usually arises from failure to mobilize the bowel adequately.