Outcomes and Quality of Life of Patients with a Digestive Stoma in Sub-Saharan Africa: Case of the Yaounde Central Hospital, Cameroon ()
Affiliation(s)
1Department of Surgery and Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
2Department of Visceral and Digestive Surgery, Yaoundé Central Hospital, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
3Department of Surgery, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: The installation of a digestive
stoma involves changes affecting all aspects of the patients’ lives. The
objective of this study was to determine the impact of a digestive stoma on the
quality of life of patients operated on at the Yaounde Central Hospital (YCH). Patients and
Methodology: We conducted a prospective descriptive study over a period of 12 months
from June 2018 to May 2019 in all
patients with a digestive stoma for at least 3 months operated on at the YCH.
The follow-up was done within 12 months. Quality of life was assessed using the
stoma QOL (quality of life) and self-image using the BIS (Body Image Scale). Results: We collected a total of
34 patients, of whom 22 were male, giving an M/F sex ratio of 1.8. The
average age of the patients was 42.8 years. The indications were tumoral in
44.11% of cases (n = 15) and non-tumoral in
55.88% of cases (n = 19). The colon was the
most frequently ablated organ (n = 26)
with 76.5% of colostomies. The complication
rate was 67.6%. Stomal oedema was the most common early complication with 38.2%
of cases. All patients used colostomy bags. The average time to return to
sexual activity was 8 months for men and 9 months for women. 85.3% of
the patients had an average impairment of quality of life according to the
Stoma Quality of Life Scale. According to the Body Image Scale, 73.5% of the
patients had a moderate dissatisfaction with their self-image. Conclusion: The realization of a
digestive stoma imposes a long-term follow-up especially on the psychological
level in order to allow the empowerment of the patients who all have a
modification of their quality of life and their self-image.
Share and Cite:
Bwelle Motto, G. , Bang, G. , Ngoumfe, J. , Ekani Boukar, Y. , Sendjong, R. , Ngo Nonga, B. and Sosso, M. (2021) Outcomes and Quality of Life of Patients with a Digestive Stoma in Sub-Saharan Africa: Case of the Yaounde Central Hospital, Cameroon.
Surgical Science,
12, 381-389. doi:
10.4236/ss.2021.1211040.