What is a stomal prolapse?
A. Imagine a sock that is folded (rolled) back in over itself. That is how your stoma is constructed with the outer layer being pulled back over the inner layer and sutured to the skin. Therefore, what you see of your stoma is actually the inside of your intestine. With a prolapse, the inner layer rolls out making the stoma become longer. The stoma may also lose the peristaltic motion (ie doesn’t “move” any more). This is rare but can happen. If your stoma looks as though it’s getting longer, see your doctor as a prolapse can only be cured by surgery, usually by shifting the stoma site. Wearing a support belt can help prevent it from getting longer and decrease the discomfort from it.
