A stoma is formed when part of the bowel is diverted through an opening in your tummy. It’s estimated that around 1 in 335 people in the UK have a stoma but they are often misunderstood, and the question ‘Is a stoma permanent?’ is common. The answer is that stomas can be either permanent or temporary, depending on the type of stoma you have, the reason you needed surgery and your health.
In this blog, we explain the answer to ‘Is a stoma permanent?’ in detail and explore the difference between permanent and temporary stomas.
Click below to skip directly to a section of the article:
- What’s the difference between temporary and permanent stomas?
- Why would you need a permanent stoma?
- Why would you have a temporary stoma?
- How long does a temporary stoma last?
- What type of stoma can be reversed?
- What is a loop stoma?
- What is an end stoma?
- Are end stomas reversible?
- Find stoma help
What’s the difference between temporary and permanent stomas?
Stomas can be formed to be either temporary or permanent. If you have a temporary stoma, you will likely have a smaller surgery in the future called stoma reversal. This is where the bowel is rejoined and the stoma opening closed, meaning faeces will pass through your anus again, without the need for a stoma bag.
On the other hand, permanent stomas mean that you will live with a stoma bag for life. Some patients have a permanent stoma because they have had a proctectomy (also known as “Barbie butt” surgery), where their rectum and anus have been removed and sewed up. However, not everyone who has a permanent stoma has or will need a proctectomy.
As we will discuss in more detail later, there are two different types of stoma surgery; loop and end. Both loop and end stomas can be permanent or temporary, but loop stomas are more likely to be temporary because they are easier to reverse.
Why would you need a permanent stoma?
You may need a permanent stoma if you don’t have enough bowel to reconnect your healthy bowel back to. This could be because you had a large amount of your digestive system removed due to inflammatory bowel disease, abdominal trauma or cancer.
As mentioned above, a permanent stoma is formed if your anus and rectum have been removed, which may be because of a tumour. This operation can improve prognosis following treatment for colorectal cancer and resolve anal discharge issues following stoma surgery.
You might also have a stoma for life even if the original plan was for it to be reversed. Some ostomates decide to keep their stoma permanently because they do not want to undergo another surgery. This might be due to health reasons or because their quality of life with a stoma has improved.
Why would you have a temporary stoma?
Thanks to advancements in surgical techniques, temporary stoma surgery is now more common and is often the preferred option. Temporary stoma surgery allows a damaged or diseased section of bowel to heal by stopping poo from passing through it. Then, the section of the bowel that was diverted can be reattached to the inactive side, allowing faeces to pass through and out of the anus again.
This then means that life can go back to ‘normal’, without the need to wear a stoma bag forever, which some people prefer. This could be because they are facing problems with their stoma and find it difficult to manage.
How long does a temporary stoma last?
How long you have a stoma bag will depend on the type of surgery you had and the problem that caused the need for surgery. If you have a temporary stoma and you are in good health, you could have it reversed in as little as 3 to 12 months.
Reversal surgery may be delayed if you haven’t recovered from the original surgery or if you are undertaking further treatment, like chemotherapy.
There’s no upper limit for how long you have a stoma bag – you can even have it for several years before having stoma reversal. As we have already mentioned, it may end up being permanent depending on your circumstances.
What type of stoma can be reversed?
Colostomies (surgery to divert a section of the large intestine) and ileostomies (surgery to divert a section of the small intestine) can both be reversed. However, urostomies (surgery to redirect urine from the bladder) cannot be reversed.
There are two methods of surgery to form a stoma – loop and end. Loop stomas are more likely to be reversed than end stomas. Let’s explore loop vs end stomas.
What is a loop stoma?
In loop stoma surgery, the surgeon forms an incision on your abdomen (the position will depend on if you are having a colostomy or an ileostomy) and pulls a loop of intestine out through it. The loop is opened up so it has two openings close together, and stitched to your skin.
One opening is connected to the functioning part of your bowel and waste leaves the body through it into a stoma bag. The other opening is connected to the inactive part of the bowel that leads to the anus.
This can then be reversed by reconnecting the two parts in stoma reversal surgery. Although a smaller and relatively straightforward surgery, it will take a few weeks to recover. It will take some time for your digestive system to go back to ‘normal’ (diarrhoea and constipation are common) but the operation means that you can pass poo through your anus again and you don’t need to wear a stoma bag.
What is an end stoma?
On the other hand, an end stoma is where the surgeon only pulls one end of the severed colon out through the abdomen and secures it down with stitches. End stomas look much the same as loop stomas, but they only have one opening visible rather than two.
This isn’t as easy to reverse as a loop stoma, so an end stoma is likely to be formed with the intention of being permanent. As a result, this type of stoma surgery is less common than loop stoma surgery.
Are end stomas reversible?
Although rare, end stomas are reversible. Temporary end stomas are sometimes formed in emergencies.
Reversing an end stoma involves making a larger incision than is needed for a loop stoma, meaning recovery is longer and the risk of complications is higher.
If part of the rectum or anus has been removed, the end stoma is not reversible.
Find stoma help
Speak to your doctor or surgeon before stoma surgery to make sure you understand what type of operation you are having and why. Gain clarity on whether your stoma is likely to be reversed and discuss your options.
If you have already had surgery, your doctor will be able to tell you if your stoma can be reversed and your stoma nurse will help you to take care of your stoma.
If you are confused or struggling with your stoma, there are lots of resources available to help, including:
- Colostomy UK
- Urostomy Association
- Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Association
- Bladder and Bowel Community
Further reading
What is a stoma? – StoCare
Colostomy – NHS
Ileostomy – NHS
Urostomy – MacMillan Cancer Support
This information is for guidance and does not replace advice given by your healthcare professional.
