A colostomy is an operation where a section of the colon is diverted and attached to an opening in the abdominal wall. This opening is known as a stoma.
A pouch is usually attached to the stoma to collect waste products, such as stools, that usually pass through the colon and out of the rectum and anus (back passage).
The digestive system
The human digestive system can be divided into four broad sections which are described below.
- The stomach - this is where stomach acids break down food into a more liquidised form before it is passed into the small intestines.
- The small intestines - absorb most of the nutrients from the food, such as vitamins, proteins, and carbohydrates, before moving the remaining liquid into the colon.
- The colon - removes water and a few remaining nutrients from the liquid, causing the remaining waste products to become more solidified and to form into stools. The colon will then move the stools into the rectum.
- The rectum - the rectum is essentially a storage area that holds the stools until they are passed out of the anus when a person goes to the toilet. When a person is ready to go to the toilet, the muscles around the anus will expand and the stools will be pushed out.
If part of the colon becomes damaged, or it necessary to remove a section of the colon due to a health condition, such as bowel cancer, it will be necessary to find another way of removing stools from the body.
One way that this can be achieved is to carry out a colostomy operation and create a stoma.
Types of colostomy
There are two main types of colostomy:
- a temporary colostomy, and
- a permanent colostomy.
A temporary colostomy is sometimes used after surgery, injury, or infection when a section of the colon has become damaged. In such circumstances, it may be necessary to ‘rest’ the section of the colon to give it time to heal. Once the section of the colon has healed, the diverted section can be reattached and the stoma closed.
A permanent colostomy may be required if a section of the colon is severely damaged, or it is necessary to remove both the colon and the rectum due to bowel cancer.
There are also a number of alternative treatments that can be used in place of a colostomy. See the ‘why it is necessary’ section for more information.
How common are colostomies?
A colostomy is a relative common surgical procedure. It is estimated that there are currently 60,000 people living with a colostomy in the UK, and that around 6,400 permanent colostomies are carried out each year.
In the future, the number of colostomies that are carried out in the UK each year may increase due to the fact that the number of cases of bowel cancer is also expected to rise. This is due to the UK’s increasingly aging population and the current obesity epidemic. Increased age and a high-fat diet are both thought to be significant risk factors for bowel cancer.
Living with a colostomy
When people are told that they need to have a colostomy they are often concerned that their day-to-day activities will be restricted and that others will notice that they are wearing a colostomy pouch.
However, modern colostomy equipment is both discreet and secure, and there is no reason why you cannot take part in activities that you enjoyed before having a colostomy. Furthermore, your friends, work colleagues, and the public at large will only be aware that you have a colostomy if you choose to tell them.
Adjusting to life with a colostomy can be challenging, and it can also sometimes be distressing in the short-term. However, over time, there is no reason why you cannot achieve a good quality of life.
After having a colostomy, some people actually have an increased quality of life because they do not experience the troublesome symptoms of the condition that made a colostomy necessary.
