Your urology consultant or specialist nurse will provide you with information about the surgery and how it is likely to affect you.
A few key points to note:
- Before your operation, your specialist nurse will carefully plan the position of your stoma so that your bag will stay in place whether you are sitting, standing or moving about. The stoma is usually formed on the abdomen, and it may be placed on the right or left of the belly button (navel). Sometimes the position can be tailored to your particular need, for example you may prefer a particular side of your body so that it doesn’t interfere with sports you play.
- All 3 options are major operations and you can expect a stay in hospital of up to 10 days.
- Tests such as blood tests, x-rays and scans may be required in preparation for the surgery.
- If your surgeon is creating a new bladder out of a section of your bowel, you may require some preparation to clean it before surgery.