Telehealth Management of Urostomy Postoperative Complications: A Case Study

Surgical creation of a urostomy with or without radical cystectomy is a common urologic procedure. Despite advances in techniques, ostomy and surgical-related postoperative complications are prevalent and may impair physical recovery and health quality of life. Restrictions in face-to-face clinic visits created by the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have dramatically altered care for patients with a new urostomy.

This case report describes our management approaches using telemedicine and complementary communication strategies during the recent COVID-19 pandemic for a patient with multiple complex chronic conditions and multiple stoma and related postoperative complications.

Despite challenges imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were able to manage multiple surgical- and ostomy-related complications using a combination of telecommunication techniques that mitigated the need for routine and urgent postoperative clinic visits, hospital readmission, or unplanned visits to an emergency department. The new onset use of telemedicine approaches (telephone, televideo, and direct telemedicine) and various Health Insurance and Portability and Accountability Act-secure platforms due to pandemic conditions can improve access to care.