Early or later elective colostomy following Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploration of the experiences of patients who choose to have a colostomy for bowel management after sustaining a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) either early in their rehabilitation or later on.
IRAS ID
214879
Contact name
Michelle Boucher
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bournemouth University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 3 months, 1 days
Research summary
Bowel function is profoundly affected following a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI); it becomes necessary for stool to be regularly manually removed from the rectum. This can be a lengthy process, and complications can occur. As a result, some individuals with a SCI choose to have a colostomy (a surgically created opening on the abdomen through which stool exits the body instead of via the rectum).
Traditionally this has been done as a last resort many years after SCI, when all other methods of bowel management have been tried and failed. It was noticed in the researcher's clinical practice that a new trend was emerging. Patients who have only just sustained their SCI, and are still inpatients on the researcher's spinal unit were requesting to have a colostomy. The reasons for this new trend are not known.
Literature concerning patients with SCI choosing colostomy formation as a method of bowel management describes patients having this done some time after sustaining a SCI; no literature could be found to suggest that patients at other spinal units are undergoing colostomy formation so early.
It is not known whether the length of time which has elapsed following SCI has an effect on the individual's experience of and satisfaction with a colostomy. This research will explore the experiences of individuals who have chosen to have a colostomy either "early" in their inpatient rehabilitation following SCI, or "later" after trying other methods of bowel management at home first.
Interviews will be held with patients with SCI who have chosen to have a colostomy at the researcher's hospital, from both "early" and "later" groups to gain insight and understanding of their experiences, and to learn more about the reasons for this change in practice.
REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 1
REC reference
16/ES/0144
Date of REC Opinion
1 Dec 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion