Ostomy Types
Your ostomy will, in most cases, improve your general health and get you back to living a full life.
What is an Ostomy?
When you have ostomy surgery, an opening called a stoma is created in the abdomen (belly).
Your stoma provides an alternate way for waste materials to leave your body. The location of the stoma depends upon the type of surgery you need.1
There are many common reasons for an ostomy, including:1
- Colon, bladder or rectal cancer
- Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis
- Inherited conditions, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (a type of colorectal cancer passed down through families)
- Birth anomalies
- Penetrative wounds and other trauma to the abdomen
- Spina bifida or other congenital conditions
- Obstruction of the ureter
Depending on the disease or wound, an ostomy may be temporary (to allow for healing and a return to normal elimination) or permanent.1 Your doctor will tell you whether your ostomy will be temporary or permanent.
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What to Expect: At your pre-surgery visit
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What to Expect: In the hospital
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What to Expect: Immediate weeks following surgery
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