Urostomy

 A urostomy is a surgical procedure that is performed to create an opening in the abdominal wall that enables the body to pass out urine. Urostomy is performe in case of an injured or diseased bladder. The location of the Ostomy is different for each type of urinary diversion. A small portion of the bowel is used to create a reservoir pouch that is used for storing the urine inside the body. It acts as a bladder where the urine is normally stored before leaving the body.

What are some common types of urostomies?

There are three common types of urine diversion:

Ileal or colonic conduit: In this type of diversion a small portion of the small or large bowel (colon or ileum) is used to make a reservoir for storing urine and then it is attached with the stoma. There is a pouch or bag that is placed over the stoma to collect the urine outside the body.

Internal continent pouch or reservoir: This involves the Kock pouch and the Indiana pouch. A small portion of the bowel is used to form an internal reservoir that will store the urine. It is then brought to the stoma. There is a wall near the abdomen that prevents the backflow of the urine or leaking of urine out of the stoma. These types of patients use a catheter to drain the urine.

Neobladder: It is just like an internal continent pouch as it also involves an internal pouch that is used to store the urine. But it is connected with the urethra despite stoma. This process enables almost normal urination. This needs regular physiotherapy to make the muscles habitual and control the urine.  Most of the people can’t attain complete continence, especially at night it is a major issue.

What are some risks after the urostomy?

Patients with any kind of urinary diversion may get some long-term problems and they need to be in a contact with a urologist throughout their life.

Chronic tract infection may be caused due to frequent catheterization incontinent diversion. Kidneys dysfunction and hydronephrosis can be caused due to urine reflux.

If there is a reconstruction that involves the bowel it can cause long-term problems associated with urinating. Some most common problems are:

• B12 vitamin loss

• Kidney stones

• Osteopenia

• Osteoporosis

• Metabolic acidosis

The part of the bowel that was involved produces mucus continuously, which can cause stoma coagulation. It can also lead to a positive pregnancy test in both men and women.

The part of the bowel that was involved in the formation of the reservoir has chances to develop colon polyps or cancer. It has the highest risk of cancer than the normal population. These tumors can develop after the 5 years of the surgery.

There are higher chances to develop chronic bowel diseases as a result of the formation of the ileocecal valve, which is involved in the formation of a continent bladder. Some common issues are:

• Poor digestion of fats

• Decreased vitamin absorption

• Gall and kidney stones

• Loose feces

• Incontinence

How to look after the stoma?

To avoid any skin breakdowns and complications you need to learn how to take care of your stoma properly. Your Ostomy expert or nurse can guide you in this aspect. He or she will help you with how to change the bag and use Ostomy appliances. If you observe any stomal changes such as any redness, swelling then contact your doctor without wasting time.

Life of an Ostomy Patient

An Ostomy can bring a lot of problems such as psychological issues, skin problems, and social limitations. But you need not worry it will take some time but you will be used to live with it. Most people feel lonely and isolated after the surgery. Always remember that there are a lot of people who have gone through Ostomy like you and they are living a complete and happy life. You can talk with them so that you can learn from their experiences.

What are some sexual changes that may occur?

Cystectomy surgery may cause damage to nerves and it can be a reason for the dysfunction of the erectile. Women can lose a small part of the whole vagina during the surgery.

For men:

The men who are suffering from erectile dysfunction may live with it for several years. Early medication can prevent muscle loss (penis) and increase the chances of recovery. In case of erectile dysfunction does not recover, then you can discuss with your doctor the alternate sources which allow you to have normal sex. If you have a bladder surgery there may be no semen production, so they would have an a dry orgasm.

For Women:

In case if your vagina has been removed it is possible to reconstruct it by involving tissues from any part of the body. This will enable a woman to have intercourse. Their orgasm produces no natural lubricant. That Is why a lubricant can be used before intercourse.

How to find support?

• You can get help from an Ostomy nurse

• You can find help at support groups and online groups

• Anyone who has experienced an Ostomy may help you.

Trying To Get Rid Of Gas In Your Ostomy Pouch?

Nobody likes someone who is gassy. I can remember back to this specific time in middle school when this kid named Gerald lit up the entire Spanish class with one of the nastiest farts that I have ever had the displeasure of smelling in my entire life. The teacher literally yelled at him and asked him to leave if he was going to do that again. We had to open the classroom door and all the windows and turn on the fans - it was that bad! The same can be said for people with an ostomy.

Gas is bad enough for normal people who do not have to wear an ostomy pouch, but there is a key difference between flatulence as a normal person and as a person with an ostomy. Normal people can usually control when their gas is coming out by the normal function of their body and digestive system. However, people who have a stoma cannot control when their gas is released into their ostomy pouch, meaning that someone with an ostomy pouch can have a full pouch of gas and not even do anything to stop it. Well, this can create several problems for people with ostomy pouches, especially if they are in any sort of social situations or something like that where it is not easy or acceptable to empty the ostomy pouch full of gas.

That’s why I wanted to take the time to write this article today, so that I can talk about what to do if your ostomy pouch is full of gas and how to prevent a lot of gas from occurring. First off, it is important to note that there are certain things that can bring on a lot of gas in a person. One factor is the type of food that you eat. I am sure that the doctors have informed you on foods that can make you gassier and lead to a full ostomy pouch, but I will quickly go over some of them myself if you are unfamiliar. Certain foods like cabbage, beans, and spicy or hot food can cause a lot of gas to occur in your body.

Also, it can be said that chewing gum or drinking carbonated beverages can also create a lot of gas. Really, anytime you find yourself inhaling a lot of air, while chewing with your mouth open or talking while eating, you will find yourself with a lot of gas on the tail end (pun intended). If you want to avoid having a full ostomy pouch all the time because of your gas, then I suggest you try to find things like I mentioned on a regular basis.

It is also worth mentioning that there are certain types of ostomy pouches made specifically for people who struggle with gas. Some ostomy pouches are drainable, and I am sure we all know that. However, did you know that there are ostomy pouches that are made specifically for people with a lot of gas? That’s right - there are ostomy pouches capable of releasing gas into the air from the pouch. This means that, if you are experiencing a ballooned up ostomy pouch, you can release some of that gas and relieve some of the pressure in the pouch. However, I am sure you are well aware that the gas is going to stink so bad once you release it from the pouch.

Tips For Traveling With A Stoma

Most people love traveling. After all, why have we been born onto such a huge planet other than to travel it and see the world? Personally, I enjoy traveling but I have never left the country. Granted, I am pretty poor and haven’t really had the opportunity to leave the country yet, but if I could I would like to go to Europe at some point in the near future. All that being said, there is a bit of a difference between traveling for normal people and people traveling with a stoma.

If you are unsure of what a stoma is, it is when someone’s intestines, colon, or some other internal organ is rerouted through their abdomen and then outputs their bodily waste into a bag called an ostomy pouch that is connected to them. I know that this sounds pretty gross, but this is something that we all have to collectively face as human beings and be there for our ostomate brothers and sisters. Anyways, it is true that even people with ostomies like to travel. However, if you are planning on traveling in the near future with the addition of a stoma, then you may need to know a few more tips and tricks before you head out. After all, we all know life is a bit more complicated when you have to wear an ostomy pouch everywhere you go.

The first thing you will want to do before you begin traveling with an ostomy is to calculate how much supplies that you will be needing. People with ostomies know just how crazy it is to have enough stoma supplies on hand at all times. There is actually quite a bit that goes into caring for a stoma and changing an ostomy pouch as well, so usually these people have to lug around quite a bit of gear when going anywhere for an extended period of time. So it might be really helpful to figure out what types of products you will need for your trip and order things in advance.

Obviously you will need the ostomy pouches themselves, but you may need to include various skin barriers, adhesives, stoma plugs, stoma powder, deodorizing products, and other things like that. The biggest tip that I can give you is to pack more than what you think you will need - that way, you won’t find yourself running out of ostomy supplies in the middle of some national forest or something like that. After all, it is a pretty common saying that it is better to be safe than sorry.

Another tip that I have for you is to take care of yourself and your ostomy hygiene while you are travelling. I cannot not tell you how many stories I hear about people with ostomies not taking proper care of their stoma because they are too busy having it or want to take a vacation from worrying about stoma care. This makes me so angry - not taking care of your stoma and your ostomy needs is probably about the dumbest thing that you could do.

Do you want to have to go through another surgery? I’m sure you don’t. That is why it’s important to continue to really clean out your stoma and the area around it, as well as continually apply various stoma products that you need to keep everything working smoothly down in that region.