Many patients undergo ostomy surgery that alters their normal passage of elimination. Ostomies are created for variety of reasons and can be either temporary or permanent, depending on the disease and the problems involved. Abdominal stomas are being constructed with increasing frequency in the treatment of various malignant, congenital, inflammatory and traumatic conditions.

The deprivation of normal control and alteration in physical appearance can have profound psychological impact. The fear and physical disfigurement can make ostomates avoid social contacts even with family and friends.

The Enterostomal Therapist provides direct patient care to person with abdominal stomas, fistulas, draining wounds and incontinence, as an educator, consultant and researcher.  With additional knowledge, specific skills and desirable attitudes an Enterostomal Therapist can be the turning point in the life of an ostomate especially when he is under severe strain and depression.  An Enterostomal Therapist patient can resumes his normal activities and regain his self esteem.

The role of Enterostomal Therapist includes pre-operative education and counseling, stoma site selection pre and postoperative technical advice, emotional support, discharge planning, outpatient follow up and ongoing rehabilitation care to patient and family.

The life of the ostomate has been vastly improved by technical advancement in surgery techniques, prosthetic devices combined with the development in specialized stoma-care with the five phases of ostomy rehabilitation.

1. Pre-operative phase (psychological preparation)
2. Crises phase (counseling and sitting stoma site, ostomy visitor)
3. Recuperative phase (post operative care, fixing of stoma appliance)
4. Transition phase (hospital discharge planning and  psychological preparation to adjust with stoma)
5. Post-hospital phase (follow up care for evaluation of stoma and suggestion of proper  appliances, self care, nutritional guidance)