Why A Colostomy Is Done

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.

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