Reasons for having a colostomy
A colostomy may be done when part of your large bowel (colon), rectum or anus needs to be removed or rested after surgery.
A colostomy may be needed because of:
- a growth in the large bowel, such as bowel cancer or bowel polyps
- a bowel condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease
- infection, such as diverticulitis, or an abscess
- a bowel obstruction, when your bowel becomes blocked so poo cannot move through it
- not enough blood getting to your bowel, for example, ischaemic bowel disease
- your large bowel becoming very swollen
- injury to your bowel, or injury to your spinal cord or nerves, which means you cannot control when you poo (bowel incontinence)
Depending on why you're having it, a colostomy may be permanent, or temporary and reversed later. A reversal is where your bowel is joined back together inside your tummy.