Every part of the intestinal tract works in harmony, so it might be expected that the removal of one part, such as the colon, might affect the rest. But the studies reveal no indication of this. Diseases of the intestinal tract, such as gallstones and peptic ulcers, are not found to be in higher incidence after ostomy surgery. There is, however, an increase in the formation of kidney stones in the ileostomate, possibly because of the increase in the absorption of certain chemicals that stimulate the formation of stones.
There is an enormous amount of data, which indicates that women with ostomies have no more problems with their pregnancies than women without ostomies. The gastroenterologist's major thrust in therapy has always been through the patient's diet. In recent years, however, it has been found that diet really has small value in most gastro-intestinal conditions.
According to dietary studies, there is no one food that affects the ostomate out of proportion to other foods. To sum up, I would say that the diet of the ostomate should be a normal diet and that the outlook for his health is on a par with that of the population as a whole.
