[Care and rehabilitation of colostomized patients]

The enterostomies represent the result of a surgical operation that we have been carrying out more frequently in the last few years both on account of the neoplastic and inflammatory pathology of the large bowel; in fact about 40,000 colostomies are effectuated in Italy every year. On the basis of what has been said, the problem of assistance and of rehabilitation of the patients with colostomy assumes great importance. Therefore the authors have examined the various phases of the assistance (pre, intra and post-operatory) and they have underlined the rehabilitation of such patients. They conclude by affirming that it is indispensable to have a multidisciplinary collaboration to insure a correct assistance and rehabilitation, which involves the surgeon, the radiotherapist, the enterostomist, the psychologist and the oncologist; only in this way will they be able to restore to society these patients capable of living the rest of their lives if not happy at least serenely.