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Nutrition and the ostomate: input, output and absorption

Jennie Burch1

  • 1Physiology Department, St Mark's Hospital, Harrow. jennie.burch@nwlh.nhs.uk

Summary

This article explains how gastrointestinal function and nutrient absorption change after stoma formation. It guides ostomates and community nurses on adapting dietary needs for better nutrient intake.

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Ostomy Care01:24

Ostomy Care

Introduction
An ostomy is a surgical procedure that creates an artificial opening from the intestines to the outside of the body, allowing for the rerouting of effluent. This opening is known as a stoma. A stoma usually protrudes above the skin surface, appearing pink or red, moist, and round, and it lacks nerve sensations.
There are different types of ostomies, including colostomies, ileostomies, and urostomies:
Enteral Nutrition I: Orogastric and Nasogastric Feeding01:26

Enteral Nutrition I: Orogastric and Nasogastric Feeding

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Enteral Nutrition II: Nasointestinal and Gastrostomy Feeding01:15

Enteral Nutrition II: Nasointestinal and Gastrostomy Feeding

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Nasointestinal Feeding
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Absorption of Nutrients

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Mineral, Vitamin and Water Absorption

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Physiology of the Gastrointestinal System II: Digestion and Absorption

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Digestion begins in the mouth, where food undergoes mechanical breakdown by chewing and combines with saliva. Salivary amylase, an enzyme in saliva, starts the breakdown of starches into maltose. The food then travels down the esophagus to the stomach.
In the stomach, a...