How to Take Extra Care of Your Ileostomy or Colostomy

Cancer, inflammatory bowel diseases, and other devastating illnesses of the digestive tract are hard to cope with just in themselves for patients of these illnesses and their loved ones. Often times these illnesses lead to a patient undergoing temporary or permanent ostomy surgery. In 1998, I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease, and last year I was rushed to the emergency room with a perforated colon. I woke up from one of the surgeries that followed with an ileostomy. This guide is for patients, their loved ones, or anyone with general interest of ostomy surgery: how patients can learn to cope with their new ostomy, as well as traditional and innovative methods of ostomy care.

What is an ostomy?

Ostomy surgery is required when an area of the colon or urinary tract is injured or permanently damaged. A surgeon reroutes the way the body eliminates waste, and the patient no longer uses either his rectum or urethra to remove waste from the body. Instead, urine, feces, or bile, depending on the type of ostomy, is eliminated from the body into an exterior appliance -- a bag. The patient then empties the bag into the toilet, or removes the used bag and disposes of it in a sanitary container.

Types of ostomies:

There are generally three types of ostomies: Colostomy, ileostomy, and urostomy. The colostomy and ileostomy patients both eliminate waste from a piece of colon or intestine that leads outside of the patients midsection. This piece of intestine forms a small, dark pink stump called a :"stoma." The stoma, visible on the surface of the skin, can be round, oval, or irregular in shape, and has a small opening in the center where the body's output of waste comes out. The patient cannot control when he or she will output, therefore, the patient must where an ostomy appliance at all times. I will explain later what the different types of ostomy appliances are and how to apply and function each of them -- it will help you chose the right appliance for your individual needs.