Difference Between Ileostomy and Colostomy

There are a great number of concerns when it comes to the human digestive system. There are different cases where the normal function of the digestive tract is disrupted, either by inborn or conditions from the environment. In pediatrics, for example, there are some children afflicted with Hirschsprung’s disease. It is a condition where the colon does not have the ganglion. The ganglion is responsible for the Colon to have peristalsis or the involuntary movement. But more commonly, the  problem with the intestine could be lifestyle associated. If you are the type of person who doesn’t take enough fiber in his or her diet, you might develop cancer. Cancer primarily develops because of the irritation in the mucosa of the intestines. The more the unnecessary materials stay in contact with the intestinal mucosa, because of irregularity in the bowel movement, the higher the person’s propensity for the development of colon cancer.

When it comes to problems in the intestines, there are two possible surgical actions that doctors could do in order to get the waste materials out of the person’s system. These are the ileostomy and colostomy. In essence, these procedures are the same, since both need a collection bag in order to gather the feces. However, there are major and minor details which separate ileostomy from colostomy.

The thing that separates the two is the fact that ileostomy is done to bring an end of the small intestine to the surface of the abdomen. The waste coming out from the ileostomy is collected by a pouching system that is cleansed whenever the person goes to the comfort room to urinate. The pouch will typically be changed within 5 days as part of ileostomy care. If the large intestine is already incapable of completing the digestion process, most doctors prefer to use the small intestine to expel the waste materials.

If a person is having an ileostomy, most of the time, it is not recommended for the person to take a high fiber diet because at the small intestine, fiber may not be processed completely. A good solution for such problem would have to be the thorough chewing of food. This way, the stomach and the intestine will no longer have to grind down large chunks of bolus.

Colostomy on the other hand is a surgical procedure done on a healthy portion of the large intestine (thus the name colostomy). The colon will then be sutured into the abdominal wall with a stoma appliance or a pouch that collects the feces. This type of procedure is done if a part of the colon has already been removed or nonfunctional. Typically, the distal part of the colon is removed, that disables the feces from exiting the anus. Another indication for colostomy is to rest the colon’s part, especially if there was an operation or a tumor. As a rule of the thumb in colostomy care, the higher the part of the colon which is attached to the abdominal area, the more times that the pouch should be emptied.

1. Both Ileostomy and Colostomy are surgical procedures
2. Both Ileostomy and Colostomy use a pouch or a collecting system that is emptied multiple times in a day.
3. Colostomy is done with the large intestine while ileostomy is done with the small intestine.
4. Colostomy is indicated when a section of the large intestine can no longer function, while ileostomy is done whenever the whole large intestine is already non functional.