Surgical Dressings Emerging from My Ileostomy

I have had my ileostomy since 2016. Every two or three months, I have some band-aid-like surgical items that will come out of my stoma into my bag. They are partially black or green. I get a little bit of a stomach ache before this happens. I have over 17 I've kept and shown to my doctors, but none of them know what they are. Have any of you heard of this? Thank you for your help.

Please show a photo that could have been left in there from the operation.

IGGIE

Wait... since 1016, you have this stuff coming through your stoma into your bag? It's black and green? Surgical, you say? Just making sure I understood you.

Geez, you win the "WTF is this" award, because I have never heard of it happening in my 8 years of being a bagger.

Is it food? Or undigested pills, perhaps? I've seen that occur.

Ick! 😳

Something isn't right about that. If you have had your ostomy since 2016, you shouldn't still have dressing coming out in your bag. Are you sure it's dressing? You say your doctor doesn't know what it is? Is the doctor concerned about it? I have had my second ostomy for 2.5 years, and I never had dressing come out of it. Maybe you need a second opinion? Something isn't right about that.

This needs immediate medical attention; I'll attempt to dissect what you just said.

• "Band-aid-like surgical items... partially black or green":
    ■ This is not just old gauze changing color from digestive juices. The black and green coloration strongly suggests that the material is necrotic (dead tissue) and infected.
    ■ It is likely that this material is the core of a chronic abscess or infection, and the discoloration is from bacteria and decaying tissue.
    ■ This is a sign of a significant, active infection that your body has been unable to clear.

• "Every two or three months":
    ■ This cyclical pattern happens for a chronic, walled-off infection.
    ■ The body attempts to contain the infection and foreign material, building up pus and inflammatory fluid until the pressure is so great that it forcibly drains through the path of least resistance — probably in your case, through a fistula into your intestine and out your stoma.
    ■ Once it drains, you may feel temporary relief before the cycle repeats.

• "I get a little bit of a stomach ache before this happens":
    ■ This is a key symptom that ties everything together.     ■ The stomach ache is likely due to the increased inflammation and pressure building up in your abdomen before the material is expelled.
    ■ It is a direct signal from your body that an inflammatory event is occurring.

• A likely scenario is you almost certainly have a retained surgical foreign body (a piece of sponge, gauze, or possibly even a failed prosthetic mesh) from a surgery.

• This foreign material has acted as a constant irritant and a breeding ground for bacteria, leading to a chronic intra-abdominal abscess. This abscess has formed a fistula (an abnormal tunnel) that connects it to a loop of your small intestine.

• Every few months, the abscess fills up, causes you pain, and then ruptures, draining its infected contents (including pieces of the decaying foreign material) into your intestine and out through your ileostomy.

• This is quite serious because each one of these episodes is a small, uncontrolled release of bacteria into your system. It could escalate into a life-threatening full-body infection at any time (sepsis).

• I am surprised your doctors did not order a CT scan. You should immediately contact your surgeon, and if you can't reach your surgeon, go to the ER. Tell your surgeon/ER doctor: "I have an ileostomy, and for some time, I have been periodically passing pieces of what looks like old surgical gauze or sponge that are black and green. This is accompanied by abdominal pain. I am concerned about a retained foreign body and an abscess." Bring the 17 pieces you have retained to show them.

• The doctor will almost certainly order an urgent CT scan of your abdomen and pelvis with contrast dye to try to locate the source of the problem, the abscess, and the fistula. If a CT scan is not ordered, you should insist on one.

This is my last post, and I pray that you take immediate steps to take care of this. You will get plenty of help and support from others on this site.

How to Adjust to Life with an Ostomy with Bruce | Hollister

Yes, you heard that right. A cloth-like band-aid. I am just as shocked as you. I had six emergency operations before my stoma was made. I am wondering if Iggie might be right about items left behind after surgery. How could this happen?

I'll try to download

Thank you for breaking this down. It makes perfect sense. That is exactly how the cycle works. Yes, I will seek help again. I have shown these band-aids to my doctor. He says he doesn't know what they are. I have had a CT scan, and nothing showed up besides my hernia repair. My dumb luck......

I'm going to add my voice to those suggesting that you go back to your stoma nurse with your concerns.

I would also suggest talking with your primary care doctor and showing him/her what you have collected. You may need a CT/MRI with and without contrast to see where all of this is coming from.

Heck, give a small sample to the doctor to have tested to find out what it is.

I am very sorry to hear that you are going through this.

Please keep us updated on how you make out going forward.