An ileostomy operation is a surgical procedure aimed at treating some specific medical conditions or injuries in the colon. This operation typically involves the removal or bypassing of the entire colon. The end of the small intestine, or ileum, is brought through an incision in the abdomen. The surgeon sutures this end of the ileum with the abdominal skin, forming a stoma. This operation changes the way the stool leaves your body. There are no sphincters in the stoma, which means that you won’t be able to control waste excretion when there is a bowel movement. You are going to have to use an external pouch to collect bodily waste. You may have to empty your ostomy pouch several times a day. Moreover, you will have to make sure that you are replacing your old pouching system with the new one every 3-7 days, depending on the type of pouch you use and the condition of your peristomal skin. About the stoma A few things about the stoma that you must know include the following.
Stoma care
There will be swelling in the stoma right after surgery. This swelling will gradually subside and settle down to a somewhat permanent shape and size in the next few weeks. The skin around your stoma should look like the skin elsewhere on your abdomen. There are a few ways to protect your peristomal skin.
To take care of your peristomal skin, here are a few things that you will need to consider.
0 Comments
It may seem hard to learn to care for your ileostomy, but with proper practice, it will become your second nature, just like bathing. There are multiple ways you can take care of your ileostomy. In this article, we will share tips and ideas that you can have a discussion about with your ostomy care nurse. Keep in mind that it may be OK to try new things, but you don’t need to keep doing them if they are not making you more comfortable. That said, let’s now discuss the ways you can take care of your ileostomy. Protecting the skin around the stoma The skin around your stoma should look the same as the skin anywhere on your abdomen. In the case of an ileostomy, you need to be even more cautious about the peristomal skin health because your stoma passes out the stool that is filled digestive enzymes, which can be more corrosive to the skin. Here are some ways to help you keep your peristomal skin healthy.
Emptying and changing the pouching system During your stay in the hospital after ileostomy surgery, you will get training from an ostomy care nurse regarding how to empty and change an ostomy pouch. The stomal output passing out of an ileostomy is more liquid and frequent, so you are going to need a drainable ostomy pouch to manage your stoma.
Life with an ileostomy
You don’t need to bring drastic changes to your lifestyle to live with an ileostomy. You can eat your favorite foods, wear clothes of your preferences, enjoy traveling, and engage with your friends and family just as you did before ostomy surgery. Aside from a few changes to adapt to a new routine to manage your bowel movements, everything will be the same. You can even engage in fitness training, but you might not be able to lift heavy dumbbells. You may want to discuss this with your doctor before committing to such a routine. |
Taj Buchanan
The Health Blogger ArchivesCategories |