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Please Educate Me...Colostomy vs. Ileo

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Ostomies
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Posted 2/18/2010 1:15 AM (GMT 0)
Will someone please tell me the difference of an ileostomy and colostomy?  What are the physical differences?  Do we use the same appliances?  Are there different limitations for one or the other?  Why is the output more formed with the colostomy?  I'm so intrigued!

Thanks!

smurf 

(holly hell I had to re-post and edit this sucker twice!  I'm just going to stop trying to post or do much of anything online when I have a toddler squirming about! wink )

Posted 2/18/2010 2:17 AM (GMT 0)

A colostomy is a stoma off the colon; so part of the colon is remaining; whereas with an ostomy, the entire colon is gone.  The output is thicker because the colon is still partially intact and doing its job of absorbing water.  I imagine that those with colectomies use smaller bags but I think the appliances are the same.

Sue

Posted 2/18/2010 2:25 AM (GMT 0)

Awe...I understand...I never thought about making a stoma from the colon!

Thanks Sue!

smurf
Posted 2/18/2010 8:26 AM (GMT 0)
I know the colostomy people can use closed bags because they don't go so many times a day without so much liquid. They have two piece with adhesive holding the pouch to the flange/ barrier(whatever you call it) instead of "tupperware lid" keeping pouches to flange. I even tried the colostomy system but sure enough the liquidy out put ruined the pouch to barrier seal very quickly.

Then I wondered-- Is a colostomy stoma bigger than a ileostomy stoma? The colon is larger around than small intestine. I noticed when I got the measure papers they had some pretty large sized holes. Mine is only 7/8 of an inch, kinda small? I have no idea. It was bigger to begin with but now 6 months later..it seems to be staying this size.
Posted 2/18/2010 11:38 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah, the stoma size with the colostomy is bigger, so the wafer has to accommodate a larger hole.
Posted 2/18/2010 11:54 AM (GMT 0)
Robin~you could go to www.uoaa.org...they have some really good informational pdfs/downloads on ostomies:)

I think, if you have Crohn's and a colostomy, you are not guaranteed 'thicker' output or the ability to use a closed end pouch...but like our diseases/reasons for our stomas, everyone is different!

Also a colostomy is USUALLY on the lower left and an ileostomy is USUALLY higher on the right.

smurf
Posted 2/18/2010 4:28 PM (GMT 0)

You ladies are SO informative, THANKS!  smilewinkgrin

I always wondered why the sizes got so large on sizing charts and wafers...Penelope was 1 1/8" after my surgery and she's been 1" for many months now.

Thanks again guys! yeah

smurf 

Posted 2/18/2010 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
are they teeny tiny holes for urostomies?
Posted 2/18/2010 7:48 PM (GMT 0)

I don't know...the medical supply catalog I've received has an entirely different section for urostomy needs.  I think.  Clarify what a urostomy is so I make sure that I know what I'm talking about smilewinkgrin

smurf 

Posted 2/19/2010 12:40 AM (GMT 0)
"are they teeny tiny holes for urostomies?"

Urostomy stomas are actually made out of a piece of ileum that the surgeon resects, so they're basically the same size as ileostomy stomas.

Posted 2/19/2010 12:33 PM (GMT 0)
I guess I never really have learned much about the many other stoma situations.  I just kind of grabbed the info that was important to my situation and ran!

This is turning into a super educational conversation!

smurf 

Posted 2/20/2010 1:49 PM (GMT 0)
I have had both a colostomy and an ileostomy. Not at the same time, of course.

But the colostomy was so much easier to deal with. I only had one bowel movement per day. And weirdly, it was always at around the same time.So I could go where I wanted, pretty much eat what I wanted, and slepp through the night and NEVER have to worry about leaks.

My ileostomy was a different story. I was constantly going. And it was pretty much always l;iquid. I did everything I could to thicken it up but nothing worked. I just had to live with it. My most severe output was at night. So I never got a full night of uninterrupted sleep. It was a nightmare.
Posted 2/20/2010 8:45 PM (GMT 0)
Oscar is a colostomy. He is 29mm or 1 1/8", located on my lower left side. I have (had??) severe Crohn's/small bowel disease with MANY fistula's and tunnels inside and outside my body. My colon was almost entirely HARD because of severe fistulization. Thank goodness my Dr. was able to save some of my colon or Oscar would not have been possible. My major complaint for the last 12 years was lack of bowel control.
I wear the two piece CLOSED pouching system. It is the "tupperware" type closing system with an audible "click" when I open/close. Oscar hardly ever goes in the pouch, most of the time the output sit's on Oscar. As such I use the closed pouch, and open/close about 10 times a day to clean him. Oscar does go quite a few times a day, but again, the ouput is mostly formed. Sometimes it is runny output and then it ends up in the pouch but that has only happened 4 times since surgery. When it does happen, Oscar gets all puffy and proud of himself with a "look what I did Allie!!" attitude.
I love him and will always do everything I can to ensure myself and him are healthy and happy.

-Allie
Posted 2/21/2010 5:00 AM (GMT 0)
I want to correct one thing, i've seen said several times here. :) If you have an ileostomy, you have not necessarily had your entire colon and rectum removed. I had an ileostomy, and had it reversed, six months after I had it formed. It was for a perforated bowel, with over a liter of pus in my abdomen.
Posted 2/21/2010 5:10 AM (GMT 0)
Allison77- Sure liked your comments. You seem very well adjusted to the whole thing.
Posted 2/21/2010 5:58 AM (GMT 0)
so i wonder what the teeny tiny holes are for then?
Posted 2/21/2010 6:06 AM (GMT 0)
I don't have a definite answer as to what the small ones are for ... I always thought they were used for babies or toddlers???

Be well!

l
Posted 2/21/2010 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
Trigirl- thanks!! I think im so enamoured of him because I BEGGED for years to have a colostomy. He has given me my life back. My adjustment went from pooping my pants all the time to Oscar. I'll take him a bazillion times over then the last 13 years of pain and incontinence. I wish or rather hope most people feel this way about their ostomies.

-Allie
Posted 2/24/2010 11:46 PM (GMT 0)
If you have a Brooke ileostomy, your colon (large intestine) and rectum are removed.  It is a permanent ileostomy and cannot be reversed.  I have an appointment at Cleveland Clinic on March 8 to discuss this and hopefully will have sucessful surgery soon!turn

 

butterfly

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