Patient/caregiver was educated on findings to report to the physician as follows:
- Individuals on ileostomy could develop abdominal pain and discomfort secondary to any complications at the involved bowel segment. Any uncontrolled abdominal pain need to be reported to the physician for further investigation.
- Poorly measured stomas, improperly cut wafers, and loosely attached ileostomy bags can all lead to stool leakage and accidents. Leakage of stool, frequent exposure of the skin surrounding stoma to moisture, and tightly adherent adhesive used to fix the ileostomy bag can result in irritation of skin. Uncontrolled irritation of skin can lead to can lead to severe inflammation and infection of skin around the stoma. Report to the physician regarding symptoms of inflammation & infection, such as, severe redness, pain and burning sensation of skin around the stoma, local elevation of temperature at the stoma site, swelling of skin at the stoma, skin breakdown around the stoma, and offensive discharge from the skin around the stoma, for recommendation on relief measures.
- Occasionally blood supply to the bowel at the site of stoma can get compromised, resulting in tissue infection, tissue death and necrosis. The tissue infection can also spill into the blood stream and spread to distant sites, resulting in sepsis and shock. Individuals in sepsis and shock can present with low blood pressure, reduced urine output, fatigue, and confusion. Individuals with necrosis of bowel can present with symptoms, such as, fever, nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, distension, black discoloration of the involved bowel segment, and bleeding at the stoma site. Severe cases of necrosis might necessitate an emergency excision of involved bowel segment and a revision surgery for ileostomy. Report any of these above findings to your physician at the earliest notice for further investigation and employing appropriate relief measures.
