Patients' quality of life and role of the ambulatory in after-surgery stoma care. A single center experience.

AIM: The aim is to assess on which aspects of everyday-life the post surgery stoma-care ambulatory should physically and psychologically assist the patients. MATERIAL OF STUDY: Seventy patients (33 male, 37 female, mean age 68 years) accepted to fill-in the Stoma-QoL questionnaire from January to December 2011. The questionnaire consists of 20 questions addressing different possible discomforts of everyday life. RESULTS: Our results demonstrate that patients with temporary ileostomy have a mean score of quality of life index of 63. Patients with ileostomy demonstrated a higher quality of life score compared to patients with colostomy. DISCUSSION: Our results confirmed that patients with ileostomy have a better perception of quality of life compared to patients with colostomy. Moreover, our data clearly show that patients are more concerned on stoma management compared to the hypothetical prejudice of society. CONCLUSIONS: The stoma care ambulatory have a crucial role, offering to the patient and his/her family an adequate psychological support, and teaching the management of the stoma and the pouch.