OSTOMY & INCONTINENCE

Colostomy

Sometimes a small part of the colon has to be removed completely or temporarily bypassed. This means that feces cannot pass in the normal way, therefore a stoma needs to be formed to create a new outlet for waste material to be passed. This is done by making an opening onto the abdomen at the front of the body. When it is the colon (the large bowel) that is brought out onto the abdomen the stoma is called a Colostomy.

There are many different types of colostomies and the type of colostomy will depend on the surgical procedure you are having. A colostomy is generally situated on the left hand side of the abdomen below the waistline.

Urostomy

A urostomy is a stoma that is formed to divert urine when the bladder has been removed. The two ureters from the kidneys are plumbed into a small isolated segment of small bowel, which protrudes out from the abdominal wall. The piece of small bowel used will form the urinary stoma. A urostomy is almost always situated on the right side of the abdomen, unless for surgical/technical reasons. When the bladder is removed a urostomy will always be permanent.

Fecal Incontinence is the involuntary excretion of bowel contents.

Urinary Incontinence is the involuntary excretion of urine.