What is stoma hernia?

Q:
What is stoma hernia?

A:
A hernia is a weakness or split in the muscle wall of the abdomen. It allows the abdominal contents to bulge out. The bulge is particularly noticeable upon tensing the abdominal wall muscles, such as occurs when coughing, sneezing or straining.

Cause

There are many factors that contribute to the development of a stoma hernia including:

• Excessive coughing or straining after an operation
• Increasing age
• Steroids
• Obesity
• Smoking

Prevention

• avoiding heavy lifting wherever possible
• using your legs and not your back to lift heavy objects if you need to
• avoiding constipating or straining during bowel movements
• maintaining a healthy weight
• stopping smoking

Treatment

• A different sort of stoma bag with convexity
• A hernia repair
• A hernia belt
• Surgery

Keywords: stoma hernia;obesity;surgery