Temporary Colostomy

By: ColostomyCentral Staff

Temporary Colostomy is usually indicated for patients who have recently been into abdominal surgery because of trauma, damage, or other disease conditions that requires the Gastrointestinal tract to be rested for a while. 

Surgeons follow the usual types of colostomies to certain patients who need it the most. The stoma where the stool will exit is strategically located in the abdomen of the patient.

The temporary colostomy operation can take anywhere from one to three hours depending on the type of operation being performed, the location of the traumatized se ction of the colon, the disease condition of the patient, and the extent of damage.   

Throughout the duration of the temporary colostomy, the patient will undergo quite a number of lifestyle changes. This would include colostomy diet, colostomy care, health and fitness, activity tolerance, and rest.

After the colon is healed, it can then be reversed, and is "reconnected" to fully function again as it did before the surgery. Again, the patient goes for admission to the hospital and the surgeon (usually the same one who disconnected the colon) will attach the colon together using sutures that usually dissolves itself in 90 days or more.

After the reversal, bowel movements are eliminated through the rectum once again and the colostomy stoma is closed off using small metal staples that are then removed in the out patient department of the hospital a couple of weeks later.

Throughout this time, you should be very much in control of your own stoma; take care for it, clean it and so forth. You dont have to love it, but for the mean time, you should manage it well until its out of your system. Remember, when temporary colostomy is all over, you will turn back to these moments and just be happy you got it all over with.