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Colostomy

Treatment of colon and rectal cancer relies primarily on surgery and complete removal of the tumor. When a piece of bowel is removed, the two ends of the bowel have to be reattached. In certain situations, this may not be feasible and the surgeon must perform a Colostomy. This refers to attaching the colon, (large bowel) to the skin, bypassing the rectum.

The site where the colon is attached to the skin is called ostomy site. The site is covered with a plastic bag which will accumulate the stool and secretions from the Colostomy. Colostomy bags are designed to stick to the healthy skin around the ostomy site.

After proper healing, over a period of time, some patients develop a feeling for the Colostomy in that they can predict the time when bowel movement will occur. Some patients are even able to control the bowel movements, to some extent, because the Colostomy site passes through muscles of the abdomen.