Question

A client is diagnosed with cancer of the rectum and has surgery for an abdominoperineal resection and colostomy. Which nursing care should be implemented during the postoperative period?

a. Limiting fluid intake for several days
b. Withholding fluids for seventy-two hours
c. Having the client change the colostomy bag
d. Keeping the client's skin around the stoma clean

Answer 1

d. Keeping the client's skin around the stoma clean

Step-by-step explanation:

• Since the patient is suffering from cancer of the rectum, it is important to remove the area and thus, he is operated for abdominoperineal resection and colostomy.
• In an abdominoperineal resection surgery, there is the removal of the rectum, the sigmoid colon, and the anus along with the removal of the lymph nodes associated with it.
• After abdominoperineal resection is done the end portion of the colon is brought out in the form of an opening by making an incision in the abdominal wall and this process is known as colostomy.
• The opening of the colon made by colostomy is termed as stoma and this helps the fecus to leave the body since the anus has been removed in the surgery.
• To avoid any kind of infections through the stoma it is important to the skin surrounding it clean and is thus important nursing care.