What are the key points of nursing for patients with rectal cancer

If we want to take good care of patients with rectal cancer, we must pay attention to the details of care in daily life, because what we need to know is that patients with rectal cancer need a urinary catheter before surgery. In addition, patients may have an artificial anus after surgery. These are all aspects that we need to care for. In addition, we should also give patients certain psychological care based on their specific manifestations.

Catheter care

(1) The duration of indwelling urinary catheter is generally about two weeks, and proper care should be taken of the urethral opening.

(2) The urinary catheter is removed and the patient begins to train his bladder function from 5 to 7 days after surgery, opening the urinary catheter every 4 hours to prevent urination difficulties.

Care of artificial anus

(1) If the artificial anus is clamped or temporarily closed, it will be opened 2 to 3 days after the operation when intestinal peristalsis recovers.

(2) Lying position: Because the stool is thin and frequent during the initial bowel movements, the patient is placed in the lateral lying position.

(3) Skin care In the early stage, the stool is thin and the continuous outflow will cause great irritation to the skin around the abdominal wall, which can easily cause skin erosion and contaminate the incision. It is necessary to separate the incision from the artificial anus with plastic film paper, and use vaseline gauze to form a circle around the fistula. The surrounding skin should be coated with zinc oxide ointment for protection.

(4) Change the fecal bag frequently to keep the abdomen clean.

(5) Training on regular bowel movements: Patients should get out of bed and move around one week after surgery and be taught how to use a fecal bag. They should also be trained on regular bowel movements and receive regular enemas through the stoma to establish a habit of regular bowel movements.

(6) Prevent diarrhea or constipation: Patients are prone to diarrhea or constipation after surgery. They should pay attention to dietary adjustment and eat less semi-liquid or soft food. If there is no bowel movement for 3 to 4 days after eating or constipation occurs due to fecal blockage, a urinary catheter can be inserted (usually not more than 10CM). Liquid paraffin oil or soapy water is often used for enema, but be careful not to apply too much pressure to prevent intestinal perforation. To prevent constipation, patients are encouraged to eat more fresh vegetables and fruits and exercise more.

(7) Preventing fistula stenosis: Observe the patient's fistula for edema, ischemia, or necrosis. Use your fingers to dilate the fistula two times a week for 5 to 10 minutes each time for three months to prevent fistula stenosis.

How do patients with rectal cancer take care of their artificial fecal bags in daily life? Our experts have given the direction of care above, but when caring for these patients, we also need to pay attention to the fact that we should observe the effect of our care at any time. If the patient has care problems, we also need to take good care of the patient's psychology. This will improve our care effect and let the patient know how to take care of themselves best.