UOAA Discussion Board

First of all, I am not a cancer patient and am having a difficult time finding information regarding my colostomy.
I'm glad I found you folks!

I had my surgery done 3 months ago. It was emergency surgery, so I didn't get the opportunity to discuss important things before the surgery. I visited my GI doctor a couple of weeks ago (he was not involved with the surgery), and I ended up seeing the nurse practitioner. She's very knowledgeable and I trust her. She told me the discharge from my rectum may indicate a fistula.

A few days later, when I used the restroom, I checked the discharge and found 2 titanium surgical staples!!! They're very tiny and I wonder how many staples came out that I didn't catch.

Tomorrow I'll have a CT scan with barium. I hope it shows what's going on.

I'm new to this forum and this is my first post, Any advice whatsoever will be greatly appreciated!

Pat

Yikes! Hope your CT helps to figure out what's going on.

Hi Lee,
After a visit to a GI surgeon, I found out I'm okay. The staples were from a previous rectopexy that tore, which is why I had the ostomy surgery in the first place.

Happy it's figured out for you.
When I had my stoma installed... Lol... Installed.
I had a staple issue too. Different from yours.
But my surgeon said not to worry. It worked it's
way out on its own. Took awhile.
But weird.

Hi Desert Deuces,

WOW on the staples! But the discharge may be caused by diversion colitis which is common with many ostomates. Up at the top right, you can do a search and you'll see many posts and conversations about diversion colitis. Various ways exist to cope with it -- including more surgery which I chose since I was having additional surgery anyway. You might also search for "rectal discharge" or "lavage." If you don't get answers to your questions, post again and someone will explain this condition.

Good luck!