Stoma Wound

Stoma wound

        Some people might be surprised by this, but a stoma is not exactly a clean cut hole in the abdomen. The surgical procedure results in a stoma wound. This stoma wound must be treated accordingly and helped along to get to the perfectly even and completely healed opening that most patients imagine. Things start much earlier than one can imagine: a stoma wound must be located in a very precise position, to limit the possibility of an infection. If the surgeon cannot find that perfect spot for the cut into the abdomen, then the stoma wound might just have to be reshaped and enlarged, which will not lead to anything good.

        In general, after the surgical procedure is finished and the stoma wound is at its most painful and sensitive to bacteria, it is wrapped with sterile bandages. The dressings are changed several times a day and the surrounding area is checked for rashes, redness or abnormal swelling, just to make sure that nothing got through the bandages.

        Nothing is supposed to touch the margins of the hole. The patient is given enough painkillers to get them through the days, but not enough to knock them unconscious. This is not done to be cruel, but rather so the person can speak up when they feel that something is wrong. For example, if the patient feels that there is leakage from his or her stoma wound, then the nurses and the physicians must be alerted immediately.

        If everything goes well, in about one week after the surgery, the stoma wound is healed enough for the stoma pouch to be installed.