Stoma question

Can anyone explain how a stoma becomes enlarged? Is it all surgically related...in other words, does it occur because it was made too big from the beginning or can something we do cause it to enlarge? Thank you.

Hi Ann... My understanding most bariatric surgeons create a stoma of an approximate standard size. I've heard the stoma tends to "relax" over time to the same size of the small bowel where it attached. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. The gameplan taught by my bariatric surgeon is to have good eating/food patterns in place if the stoma relaxes. Dr Simpson's article in the last ObesityHelp magazine had an excellent explanation of reasons for revision surgeries. One of the things I hadn't considered is how a stoma may be stretched open by food getting so far then stopping so it is forced to stay open. He specifically was talking about drinking carbonated beverages -- the carbonation can push food out of the pouch into the intestine before it would occur naturally. I'd never thought about it in those terms. Diet drinks have become a type of crutch for me lately, but now I'm attempting to be more aware of the amount and when I'm drinking carbonated beverages. Hope this helps a bit. Bonnie (San Antonio TX)

Wow! What an excellent reply Bonnie!! I enjoyed reading this. My doctor has been saying "no carbonated beverages".