About

An operation that creates an opening for the colon in the abdominal wall is known as colostomy surgery. A colostomy can be permanent or temporary, based on the underlying condition. The reasons for a person to need a colostomy may include bowel diseases or injury to the colon. Most permanent colostomies are “end colostomies”, whereas temporary colostomies typically involve an incision made in the die of the colon. That side is then brought through a surgically created opening in the abdomen, forming a stoma.

To create an end colostomy, the surgeon brings the end of the colon out of the surgically created opening in the abdomen, and sutures the edges of this end with the abdominal skin, forming a stoma. Stool passes out through the stoma and collects into an ostomy bag that fits over the stoma.

Reasons you may need a colostomy

A person may need a colostomy as a part of the treatment of one of several diseases or conditions. These conditions and diseases include the following.

• Familial disorder
• Severe infection, such as diverticulitis or inflammation in the colon
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Injury to the colon
• Intestinal blockage
• Rectal or colon cancer

Whether you need a permanent or temporary colostomy depends entirely on the root cause. In case your doctor gives you a temporary colostomy, he does so to give your colon some rest to heal before it is fully ready to be functional again. When the colon heals, your doctor will call you for another surgical procedure that involves the reversal of the intestinal diversion.

The colostomy procedure

A subtype of the colostomy gets its name from the part of the colon where it is being created.

• A transverse colostomy is created in the middle part of the colon. The surgeon will create a stoma somewhere across the upper abdomen. This type of colostomy is temporary most of the time, and it is typically performed for inflammatory bowel disease, diverticulitis, blockage, cancer, or injury. In this type of colostomy, the stool leaves the body without passing through the descending part of the colon.
• An ascending colostomy is created on the right side of the abdomen. With this type of colostomy, you retain only a short part of the colon. You might need this colostomy if a blockage or any other problem causes the inability of the colon to perform its natural function.
• A descending colostomy is on the left side of the abdomen.
• A sigmoid colostomy is created a few inches lower than the descending part of the colon.

The change that a colostomy brings to your life tends to put an influence on your lifestyle. That’s why it is crucial for a person with a colostomy to learn how to manage the ostomy in the best way possible.