Ostomy care

At Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Ostomy Care, our certified ostomy nurses care for individuals with colostomy, ileostomy, urostomy, continent diversion, urinary diversion, fistula or tubes.

Our providers help ostomy patients with adjustments to lifestyle changes, which include sexual counseling, clothing changes, or modifications for work or leisure activities. Our focus is to provide wound care that helps you be as active and independent as possible.

What is an ostomy?

An ostomy is a surgical procedure where a damaged or diseased part of your bladder or intestines is removed. A stoma (opening) is usually made in your abdominal wall to allow waste to flow out of the body. A pouch (ostomy bag) is used to collect and dispose of wastes (urine or feces).

There are three types of ostomies: colostomy, ileostomy and urostomy. While many ostomies require an outside bag to collect waste, some types allow waste collection inside your body. Some ostomy surgeries are temporary and some are permanent.

The type of ostomy needed and how long it will be needed depends on your medical condition.

Colostomy

This operation creates an opening somewhere in the large intestine such as the bowel or colon. In most cases, waste passes through the new opening and is collected in a pouch outside the body.

Ileostomy

In this procedure, the colon and the rectum may be removed. Waste will then pass through a new opening in your small intestine. In some ileostomies, waste collects in an outside pouch. But in other types, waste can collect either in a pouch inside the body or may still be removed naturally.

Urostomy

This ostomy creates an opening that diverts urine away from a damaged, diseased or infected bladder. The urine is then collected in a pouch outside your body.

Clinic services

Patients are seen at the outpatient ostomy clinic for preoperative visits and routine clinic visits.

Ostomy clinic providers also see patients in the hospital after they have had surgery. They’ll address your concerns, answer questions and schedule an outpatient appointment.

Preoperative visits

During preoperative visits, clinic providers will help you understand the following topics:

• Disease process and the reasons requiring the procedure
• Procedure and the changes to elimination
• Gastrointestinal/genitourinary anatomy and function
• Changes in elimination pattern
• Lifestyle changes
• Changes in sexual function

Providers will also:

• Show different pouching systems
• Provide stoma marking, if preoperative
• Give a preoperative kit
• Provide a plan of care and clinic contact information for follow-up after surgery
• Address any concerns and answer questions

Outpatient clinic visits

During routine ostomy outpatient clinic visits, providers:

• Coordinate home ostomy supply arrangements
• Provide ostomy supply resources
• Teach skills regarding pouch change
• Share diet and fluid guidelines according to ostomy type
• Discuss medication impact according to ostomy type
• Address output expectations according to ostomy type; nighttime drainage system for urostomy
• Provide irrigation, if applicable
• Offer education on sexual function
• Report complications to your health care team
• Provide/coordinate care for stoma complications
• Care for peristomal skin issues
• Address pouch problems
• Provide written information reinforcing education
• Share available resources