Saturday, 2 September 2017

Method of Irrigation for Colostomy Patients

What is Irrigation?

Irrigation is a regular process of washing and clearing the stool from the colon with water. It is an alternative name or method of enema for clearing out the feces from the large intestine or colon. Some colostomy patients choose the irrigation process of washing the solid waste from the colon to regulate the functions of opening or stoma in the abdominal wall. Due to this method, a colostomy person can predict the movement of bowel and able to use small ostomy bags. The smaller pouches may include stoma caps, place in between irrigations. Moreover, the irrigation method is not suitable for every colostomy patient. Well, not every ostomy person feels comfortable with the irrigation process. Therefore, there are a few key points for colostomy persons to initiate this process.

Irrigation for Descending Colostomy and Sigmoid Colostomy



Irrigation is a method to clear out the solid stool from the colon. Therefore, this is not appropriate for every ostomy patient. Urostomy and ileostomy persons cannot adopt the process of irrigation to clean the waste container. Well, the patients of descending colostomy and sigmoid colostomy can use this technique to wash out the feces. Moreover, patients with transverse colostomy and ileal conduit cannot irrigate the discharge with this method.

Many ostomy patients do no know about the type of stoma they have. Doctors clear this in the pre-operative session, but many patients skip this meeting because they think it is useless and futile. Therefore, before adopting the irrigation method to wash the stool or waste content, consult your surgeon and ask about the kins of ostomy you have. Moreover, in a few cases, your doctor does not suggest your irrigation method even you have sigmoid or descending colostomies; thus, ask your Enterostomal Therapy Nurse (ET) before adopting the irrigation method. Furthermore, the ostomy patients who have a continent diversion or Kock pouch, cannot use the irrigation method for washing the solid stool.



Is Irrigation Appropriate for Every Colostomy Patient?

As I mentioned above, the descending and sigmoid colostomy can use the method of irrigation; however, there are a few more reasons to adopt this process. Well, this is not an appropriate technique for everyone even with sigmoid or descending colostomies. If a colostomy person has undergone or will go through the chemotherapy or radiation treatment for the abdomen or pelvis, then this is not an adequate method for you to clear out the stool.



Due to the radiation and Chemotherapies, the functions of the stoma may get disturbed or alter for a few months or permanently' therefore, you should not adopt irrigation for washing the colon. This would be problematic for colostomy persons. Moreover, for parastomal hernia patients, it is an inappropriate technique. If a colostomy patient has a hernia and the lump is reducing continuously, still it is not safe for them to use the irrigation method. It can lead to further complications of the bowel. Apart from these diseases, stoma prolapses can create problems for ostomy patients. For diarrhea patients, irrigation would be a risky solution. Thus, they should also not try this method to wash out the colon and clear the feces.



Who can use the Method of Irrigation?

Irrigation is an appropriate method for a few colostomy patients and that are sigmoid and descending colostomy. The patients whose stomach form a semi-thick or thick feces cam adopt the method of irrigation to wash the stool and colon. Moreover, the regulation of bowel is necessary for the formed stool. Therefore, you should eat five to six meals per day, so that your digestive system gets active and to regulate the bowel. Do exercise, perform small physical activities, take more fluids to an active bowel, and proper functioning.

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