If you have a temporary colostomy, you will need to undergo another surgery for the reversal of your colostomy. It involves reconnecting of the inactive part of the colon to the active one, allowing you to use your natural excretory pathway again. You may need to undergo this reversal procedure at least 12 weeks after colostomy surgery.

Your surgeon may want to delay the reversal procedure if you have further chemotherapy to receive, or your bowel hasn’t recovered completely yet. There is no time limitation to when you should go for the colostomy reversal procedure. Some people may have to wait for years to become eligible to undergo a reversal operation.

In some cases, doctors find out the reversal procedure to be out of the question. It happens when the muscles of the anus are too weak to perform their natural function. Sometimes, these muscles get damaged during surgery. In such cases, reversing a colostomy may lead to bowel incontinence.

The reversal of a loop colostomy is a simple process. The surgeon sutures the opening on the top of the loop of the colon and places the colon back into its natural arrangement. It restores the natural function of the bowel, and the stool starts passing through the anus. The surgeon doesn’t have to make a large incision in the abdomen to reverse a loop colostomy.

There are also cases of end colostomy reversal. For this reversal surgery, the surgeon has to make a large incision in the belly to access and reconnect both ends of the bowel. Therefore, you are going to have to wait for a longer period for your bowel to recover after the reversal procedure.

Recovering from a colostomy reversal operation

The initial recovery may take 3-10 days, depending on the type of colostomy reversed. It will take some time for your bowel to start functioning naturally again. In some cases, there may be constipation or diarrhea following the reversal procedure. These complications subside over time.

In some cases, the anus can develop soreness after reversal surgery. That is due to long-time inactivity before the colostomy reversal. The anus will need some time to adapt to passing stool again. You may want to wash your skin around the anus thoroughly with warm water after every bowel movement. You will need to avoid rubbing the skin with a cloth after washing. You may pat the skin dry.

Your digestive system will be quite vulnerable to complications after the reversal procedure. It will remain like this until your bowel recovers completely. To avoid complications, your surgeon may recommend avoiding midnight snacking. He or she may also recommend large meals. Some foods can irritate your gut, so you will need to avoid those foods.

The reversal procedure is a small operation, but it will still take a significant amount of time for your bowel to recover. During this time, you will need to stay in touch with your doctor to avoid any complications.