Ostomies are designed to step in on certain medical situations or chaos to be a life-saving intervention to allow body waste to freely leave the body through a stoma in the abdomen. There are three standard types of ostomies: colostomy, ileostomy, and urostomy. A colostomy is done along the colon, an ileostomy is created near the ileum, and a urostomy is done within the body for urination.
A stoma is an opening created by ostomy surgery. It is located on the abdomen and is dark pink or cherry red in color. For most ostomies, a pouch is worn over the stoma to collect stool or urine. For some people it is possible to have a continent diversion, an alternative to a conventional ostomy that eliminates the necessity for a pouch (UOAA).
Colostomy
A colostomy is a surgically created opening in the abdomen in which a piece of the colon (large intestine) is brought outside the abdominal wall to create a stoma through which digested food passes into an external pouching system. A colostomy is created when a portion of the colon or rectum is removed due to a disease process or damaged area of the colon. There are many reasons why someone may need a colostomy. Some being: cancer, bowel disease, diverticulitis, imperforate anus, Hirschsprung’s disease, trauma, and many other things (UOAA).
A temporary colostomy may be required to give a portion of the bowel a chance to rest and heal. When healing has occurred, the colostomy can be reversed, and normal bowel function restored. A permanent colostomy is required when a disease affects the end part of the colon or rectum.
Ileostomy
An ileostomy is a surgically created opening in the abdomen in which a piece of the ileum (lowest part of the small intestine) is brought outside the abdominal wall to create a stoma through which digested food passes into an external pouching system.
A temporary ileostomy may be required when a surgical site lower in the digestive tract needs time to heal. Examples of this include colorectal cancer surgeries, diverticulitis surgery, j-pouch surgery for ulcerative colitis or familial polyposis, or endometirosis. A temporary ileostomy is usually constructed with a “loop” stoma. A permanent ileostomy may be required when the large intestine is removed and reconnection to the anus is not feasible, or severe damage has been done to the intestines or surrounding organs. Possible causes include Crohn’s disease, some cancers, colonic dysmotility, some cases of ulcerative colitis or familial polyposis. A permanent ileostomy is usually constructed with an “end” stoma, but can also be a “loop” end ileostomy (UOAA).
Urostomy
A urostomy is a surgically created opening in the abdominal wall through which urine passes. A urostomy may be performed when the bladder is either not functioning or must be removed. There are several different types of surgeries, but the most common are ileal conduit and colonic conduit.
There are numerous reasons why someone might end up with a urostomy and some of those reasons are: bladder cancer, spinal cord injuries, malfunctions of the bladder due to chronic infection or birth defects like spina bifida (UOAA).
Ensuring you have emotional support during the process of getting your ostomy and learning to live with it thereafter are vital parts of whole healing.
Ostomy Facts
- 100,000 ostomy surgeries are performed in the USA every year.
- You would likely never know someone has an ostomy unless they tell you.
- Ostomies allow people to live full, “normal” lives including intimacy, swimming, sports, and being as adventurous as they would like to be (UOAA).
If you need ostomy support, visit the United Ostomy Association of America’s website and search for a support group in your area. Many ostomy support groups are held in local hospitals systems with WCON nurses or doctors or cancer support groups. If you need assistance locating a support group, please reach out to our team and we can help you find information for your location.
Citations:
UOAA
National Institutes of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Vegan Ostomy