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Ostomy Complications: More than 120,000 new intestinal [[Colostomy|ostomies]], or surgically-created openings through the abdomen for bowel elimination, are created annually in North America. Although this surgery saves lives, up to 80% of patients experience ostomy complications (5,9,10,11). The most common physical complications include peristomal irritant dermatitis, stoma pain, stoma bleeding, stoma necrosis, stoma prolapse, stoma stenosis, stoma mucocutaneous separation, herniation around or beside the stoma, infection, and stoma retraction (9, 11,12).

Ostomy complications are both physiological and psychosocial. Adjustment to living with an ostomy can be difficult for patients and for family members who assist with ostomy care in the early postoperative period. In addition to having to cope with a serious and often life-threatening diagnosis, placement of an ostomy requires significant changes to one’s lifestyle. This population is at risk for significant psychological and social difficulties that affect long-term adjustment. People face significant challenges as they adjust to living with an ostomy. Occupational changes may be required, physical activities may be restricted, sexual function and activities of daily living are altered which often leads to social isolation (1,13,14). Most patients have low levels of confidence in their ability to care for their stoma (i.e., stoma care self-efficacy) at hospital discharge, and many experience peristomal complications in the first few weeks at home (15).

References: 1. 	Pittman J, Rawl, S. M., Schmidt, C. M., Grant, M., Ko, C. Y., Wendel, C., & Krouse, R. S. Demographic and Clinical Factors Related to Ostomy Complications and Quality of Life in Veterans With an Ostomy. Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing. September/October 2008; 35 (5):493-503.

5. 	Pittman & Rawl, 2011. Ostomy complications and associated risk factors: Development and testing of two instruments. Unpublished dissertation.

9. 	Colwell J, Goldberg, M., Carmel, J. The state of the standard diversion. Journal of Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nursing. 2001; 28:6-17.

10. 	Persson E, Gustavsson, B., Hellstrom, A., Lappas, G., Hulten, L. Ostomy patients' perceptions of quality of care. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2005; 49(1):51-58.

11. 	Ratliff C, Scarano, K., Donovan, A. Descriptive study of peristomal complications. Journal of Wound, Ostomy, Continence Nursing. January/February 2005; 32(1): 33-37.