A urostomy is a surgical procedure required to make a permanent opening in the abdomen called a stoma. Stomas serve as pathways for the urine to pass from the bladder to the outside of the abdomen. This process allows the urine to exit the body without entering the bladder. At the end of the stoma, a urostomy bag is attached to collect the urine. This pouch has to be emptied whenever it gets filled.
There are two types of urostomy: Standard or conventional urostomy and Continent urostomy.
Conventional urostomy
In this surgical process, a piece of the small intestine is removed and used to connect the outside of the abdomen to the ureters. Whenever urine is formed in the body, it exits through this new path and out of the body through the stoma. An external pouch stays attached to the stoma to collect the urine.
Continent urostomy
This process is similar to conventional urostomy but the surgeon creates an additional pouch that will hold the urine. On both ends, there are valves that keep the urine from entering back into the kidneys or leaking out of the stoma. A catheter is used quite a few times every day to drain out the urine. Continent urostomy is of different types, depending on which part of the bowel is used to make the pouch.
Why is a urostomy required?
A urostomy surgery is performed due to various reasons. Mentioned below are the most common reasons for a urostomy surgery:
Bladder cancer: Although bladder cancer is a rare health condition, it is still one of the most common types of cancer found in men. In such a situation, part of or the entire bladder is removed. This is when a urostomy surgery is performed.
Injury: If the bladder gets injured, a urostomy surgery may be required. Any penetrating injury in the lower abdomen or blunt force trauma can damage the bladder.
Congenital (since birth): In some cases, children are born with a urinary tract defect that causes the urine to flow back into the kidneys. This condition can lead to infections repeatedly. A urostomy surgery becomes essential in such situations to save the life of the child.
Repeated infection & Incontinence: Various health conditions may give rise to defects in the bladder that cause incontinence or urinary tract infections (UTIs). In such cases, doctors recommend a urostomy surgery to provide relief to the patient from chronic pain and inconvenience.
Interstitial cystitis: Interstitial cystitis is also called painful bladder syndrome. In this situation, a patient has to take frequent, painful, and urgent bathroom trips. If no other convenient solution is found to tackle the situation, a urostomy surgery is suggested by doctors.
How to take care of the Stoma?
An important point to remember, you should always take proper care of the skin around the stoma. This is extremely crucial to ensure that there are no complications. Common ways to keep the skin protected are:
- Always choose a urostomy bag that fits the stoma opening properly. There should not be any leaks
- Wash the skin around the stoma every day with warm water and then dry it properly before attaching the pouch.
- Do not use any skincare product that contains alcohol as it can make the skin very dry.
- Avoid products that are oily. Attaching the pouch to the stoma can get very difficult.
- There are many specialized skincare products available in the market that will ensure that the area does not get affected in any way. Always use these good-quality products and only buy them from renowned sellers like Smart Medical Buyer.
Whatever may be the reason for getting a urostomy surgery, always discuss the matter with your doctor so that you can get more clarity and knowledge about the procedure. They can give suitable answers to all your concerns.
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