Stoma
A stoma is a round hole and an artificial opening
in the belly wall of a person. The people who have digestive system problems,
they cannot discharge stool through the natural track, anus; thus, they need
something to eject the waste material of the body, either feces or urine.
Therefore, after removing the infected or dysfunctional parts of the small
intestine, large intestine, or bladder, the surgeon creates stoma for
excretion. The stoma has a complete [ouching system to cover it and collect the
stool or urine. It is a healthy incision and hole, surgically created, but if a
patient does not care about the new organ in the abdomen, then it will be
problematic for a person's health, skin, and internal organs.
Many stoma/ostomy people do not know about the right
ways of taking care of the stoma and their overall health. However, this is
necessary to look after the condition of the artificial organ in the abdomen.
For this cause, an ostomate needs to buy and wear an appropriate and good
quality ostomy appliance. A person must know the size, style, and type of their
opening. According to the looks and appearance of the stoma, an ostomy patient
wear the ostomy pouching system. If a person's stoma is more then two inches,
and he wears the bag with one and a half inches pouch, then it can cause
bleeding and blockage. Many elements can create infections, diseases, and other
problems for stoma and peristomal skin.
Types of Stoma
These are the three common types of stoma,
created as the result of ostomy:
1. Ileostomy.
2. Colostomy.
3. Urostomy.
Ileostomy
The purpose of the ileostomy is to collect the
waste from the small intestine and pass it out through the stoma. In this
operation, a stoma appears on the lower right side of the abdomen. In this type
of ostomy, doctors remove the infected part of the ileum or the entire colon;
thus, the feces cannot pass to the large intestine. The small intestine throws
the waste put from the stoma. It comes out in the liquid form.
Colostomy
Colostomy's stoma appears on the lower or middle
left side of the abdomen. When a person suffers from bowel disease or large
intestine dysfunction, then he/she needs colostomy. This operation removes the
infected or injured part of the bowel or colon. Thus, the stoma passes out the
solid feces.
Urostomy
The urostomy happens when a patient has bladder
or urine disease. Due to the infection, injury, or blockage in the urinary
tracks, a person needs urostomy stoma. This kind of stomas appears on the
middle right side of the navel button.
Signs of a Normal Stoma
Well, many patients assume that normal stoma is
always round and pink. No, a stoma changes its color and looks after surgery.
It can adjust its size and shape according to the fluctuation in the belly size
and the over body weight. A normal stoma can be round, oval, red, pink, brown,
moist, soft, one inch, and two inches. A healthy opening does not bleed.
However, in the early days of the ostomy, it will give pain, it can bleed, it
can change color, and cause a problem in holding the pouching system. But, if
the problem continuos after the weeks of the ostomy, then a patient needs an ET
nurse or doctor's suggestion. Then, it is not normal.
Symptoms of Problematic Stoma
A problematic stoma does not allow a pouching
system to stay for a longer time. A paste or adhesive does not work for the
infected opening. Moreover, it causes bleeding. It comes out in the black, dark
brown, or maroon color. The peristomal skin starts getting damaged. Patients
feel dehydration in the stoma and the skin around it. The internal organs give
your pain. An ostomate feels a problem in the discharge. It will cause mucus.
The constant bleeding with the white fluid in the bag. Blockage in the stoma or
ileum or colon.