Important Facts To Know About Stoma Before Your Surgical Procedure

By Karyn Shields


There are some surgeries and health conditions that make it necessary for doctors to reroute waste by creating special, surgical openings during treatment. These openings are referred to as stoma. People can have them for a short time or they can be permanent.

Doctors can create one of three types of openings. Among these are ileostomies, urostomies and colostomies. Your illness and the way that this affects your digestive processes will determine which procedure is best suited to your needs. Whether your digestive waste will be rerouted in a permanent or temporary fashion is also a deciding factor.

Once doctors have made an incision, the area will be fitted with equipment that is designed to monitor and collect your waste. This is a pouch that is structured to be both discreet and small. When the pouch fills up, you will be able to empty it by removing and discarding the interior liner. Your unit will effectively capture all odors, liquids and solids.

You will probably be able to continue wearing the same clothes that you currently own. The nature of your unit and the way that it is positioned, however, could necessitate the need for a larger or more flexible waistline. This is often essential when seeking continued comfort and lots of convenience.

The site of this incision will probably look very much like the soft tissues at the interior of your mouth. There may be some redness and soreness, as is common to most surgical sites. If there is swelling or if the region is hot or sensitive to the touch, however, this is a sign of infection and should be reported to your doctor right away.

Before having their surgeries, people often have a number of questions that they want to ask about their ability to live normally with these devices. A lot of people are worried that their bags will emit unpleasant and noticeable smells. You should know that the designers who manufacture these goods have created them with the ability to minimize odors.

Once these incisions are complete and the bag is installed, there is usually no good reason for making major alterations to your diet. It is not necessary to remove any special foods from your typical meal plan due to this change. You may, however, be required by your doctor to make changes to your diet if these are a necessary part of a treatment plan for an existing ailment.

People are also able to enjoy regular exercise with these devices. Your doctor should give you clearance before you become active again. Your device is going to be watertight and thus, swimming is something that you can still enjoy. Other activities such as biking, running and jogging will be possible as well.

It is always a good idea to give yourself sufficient time to heal from a procedure such as this one, as opposed to aggressively pursuing challenging activities. You want to allow your body to regain its strength in a gradual fashion. With plenty of time to recuperate, it should not be problematic to take part in any of the sports and recreational activities that you have long enjoyed.




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