What are the complications with an anus preter?

An anus praeter can cause various problems. A very common complication is a prolapse of the anus praeter, in which a piece of the intestine is pushed through the opening. This does not cause any pain, but it can happen that the bag in which the excrements are collected is no longer completely sealed.

Leaks cause a number of other problems. Inadequate care of the anus praeter can lead to inflammation of the skin, as the excretions cause skin irritation. Another important complication that can occur in an anus praeter is entrapment of parts of the intestine.

This so-called hernia can be harmless and does not cause any problems. However, if the vessels supplying the bowel are pinched, a very dangerous undersupply may occur, in which the undersupplied parts of the bowel may die. If this complication is not remedied promptly, a life-threatening blood poisoning, also known as sepsis, will result.

The intestine is a very sensitive organ, and the unnatural positioning of the intestine can therefore also lead to constipation. Diarrhoea is to be expected regularly, depending on the position of the anus praeter. If an anus praeter is installed relatively far at the beginning of the digestive tract, not enough water can be withdrawn from the stool, because the withdrawal of water occurs to a large extent at the end of the digestive tract in the large intestine.

Complications that should not be underestimated in an anus praeter are also psychological stress, as the physical integrity is disturbed to a high degree. In the event of a prolapse, a piece of intestine is pushed out through the artificial intestinal outlet. This situation is not dangerous in itself.

However, the changed conditions caused by a prolapse require an adjustment in the care of the anus praeter. When changing the collection bag, the stoma must be pushed inwards before a new bag is attached. This is not painful.

However, if the prolapse exceeds a certain size, the intestine must be pushed back into the abdominal cavity in another operation and fixed there. For those affected, the attachment of an anus praeter represents a very big change in all areas of life. It is therefore not surprising that an anus praeter causes psychological problems.

If a patient is told that an anus praeter is necessary, most people are severely affected. In addition, an anus praeter usually has to be fitted because of another serious illness. The changes that an anus praeter makes in daily life can cause enormous stress for some people.

Young patients often ask themselves whether they can do their job with an anus praeter because they fear stigmatisation and exclusion. Another problem that especially younger patients have is the fear of losing their sexuality. The change of the body raises the question for many whether they are still attractive.

A functioning relationship and good advice is very important in this problem. Older patients who can no longer cope with the increased effort of personal hygiene on their own may have to move to a nursing home, which many understand as a loss of self-determination. As a result, serious psychological disorders can develop. In general, it is important that patients who have an artificial bowel outlet are given psychological support in the run-up to the operation and that they are also given constant psychological support afterwards. Problems can be eliminated from the outset by providing comprehensive information on how to deal with an anus praeter.