If you are unable to work because of a Colostomy procedure or an Ileostomy procedure you may be able to make a TPD claim for a lump sum from the Total & Permanent Disablement insurance contained within your superannuation fund. There is no necessity for you to have been involved in an accident or to have suffered a work related injury to make a TPD claim. If you suffer from total and permanent disability, you may be able to make a TPD claim in addition to receiving your super early as a result of your condition. Our TPD claim solicitors can advise you in detail as to the requirements of a successful submission, they will prepare all relevant paperwork and will obtain full supporting documentation. Our super lawyers will give you free advice on the likely success of your claim to a super fund, without further obligation. It costs nothing to use our free advice service.

Our TPD claim solicitors use a risk free no win no fee arrangement.

We have offices situated in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Darwin.

Colostomy Ileostomy - TPD

A colostomy or ileostomy is done when an individual has serious colon problems such as colon cancer, ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease that makes the colon too sick to remain in the body. The surgeon removes the part of the colon (or the entire colon) and then makes an opening in the abdomen, creating a stoma through which the cut end of the remaining intestinal tract is attached. Stool passes through the stoma and into a plastic bag that is then removed and replaced with a fresh bag.

A bowel resection is done before the colostomy is placed. It is done at a level in which the colon is healthy and removes all injured colon. If the entire colon is removed, then only the ileum is left and the ileum is attached via an ileostomy. A bowel obstruction due to tumour or volvulus or a lack of circulation to the colon from necrosis of the colon are other reasons you might need a bowel resection. The colostomy can be a permanent thing or can be temporary, with a reanastomosis after the colon settles down and infection is better.

Colostomy and bowel resections are always done under general anesthesia so the patient is unconscious and pain-free during the procedure. It can be done via an open surgery or a laparoscopic surgery, which has a better recovery time but is more complicated to perform. During a colostomy or ileostomy, an incision is made in the stomach either with a laparoscope or not and the end of the colon or ileum is stitched to the skin. Shortly thereafter, the ileostomy or colostomy bag is applied. Short term ileostomies or colonoscopies last around twelve weeks and then the reanastomosis is performed.

Reasons for a colostomy or ileostomy are as follows: injury to the colon or rectum as in a gunshot wound, an abscess in the abdomen secondary to perforation of the colon, partial or complete blockage of the large intestine, colon or rectal cancer, fistulas or wounds in the perineum from rectal or vaginal infections. In order for these things to heal, you need to have a colonoscopy or ileostomy. The colonoscopy or ileostomy can be healed or reanastomosed after the infection or damage is healed.

Risks for having a colonoscopy or ileostomy include having anaesthetic complications like hypoxia or reaction to medications. There can be surgical complications, including breakdown of the ileostomy or colostomy, bleeding or infection at the site of the surgery. There can be nearby organ damage, hernia at the site of the ileostomy or colostomy, obstruction or narrowing of the colostomy opening (stoma), skin irritation from the adhesive used in the bag, and scar tissue formation in the belly causing obstruction of the intestines.

After the ileostomy or colostomy procedure, you will be in the hospital for about three to seven days. If the colostomy was an emergency, you need to have a longer hospital stay. You can suck on ice chips the first day after your procedure and drink clear liquids the next day. You will have increasingly thicker foods as time goes on and you will be instructed in how to manage your colostomy bag once it begins to fill with stool. You may be eating normal foods 2-3 days after your surgery.

The stool that goes through an ileostomy or colostomy is going to be runny and have more liquid in it than a regular stool. This is because the colon takes up most of the liquid in the stools. This means that the ostomy bag must be very snug against the skin with no chance of fluid leaking through the bag. The colostomy nurse with teach you how to prevent such leakages and how to care for the skin while you have an ostomy.

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