Appliance change, education, and peristomal skin conditions
Patients with ostomies, also known as ostomates, require ongoing ostomy care. Our ostomy care program involves all aspects of your ostomy. From pre-surgery to post-surgery and any time after that, we will educate you and your caregivers to maintain a healthy lifestyle and minimize risks associated with your ostomy. Our ostomy care management specialist will closely monitor peristomal skin conditions, lifestyle changes and help you with your ostomy bag, ostomy supplies, and train you on how to manage your condition.
What is an ostomy?
An ostomy is a procedure to manage your body waste when there is a problem with your bladder or colon. Ostomies can be permanent — like when there is an organ that must be removed. Or, it can be temporary — when an organ needs time to heal. The organs affected could be the small intestine, colon, rectum, or bladder. In the case of an ostomy, there must be a way for the body to move waste outside of it.
Different types of ostomy.
There are approximately 100,000 cases in the United States that undergo operations that can result in either a colostomy, ileostomy or urostomy each year. The cause for such a high incidence of ostomy surgeries in the US is mainly due to colorectal cancer and diverticular disease.
- Colostomy – the colon is attached to the stoma. This bypasses the rectum and the anus.
- Ileostomy – the bottom of the small intestine (ileum) is attached to the stoma. This bypasses the colon, rectum, and anus.
- Urostomy – the tubes that carry urine to the bladder are attached to the stoma. This bypasses the bladder.