How to care for rectal cancer

How to care for rectal cancer? Rectal cancer is a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract. The age of onset of rectal cancer in my country is mainly around 45 years old. In recent years, with the continuous deterioration of the living environment, the incidence rate of young people has an increasing trend. For a disease like rectal cancer, it is necessary to actively treat it and do a good job of postoperative care. So, how to care for rectal cancer?

1. Preoperative care: When a permanent artificial anus is needed, it will bring inconvenience to the patient's life and mental burden. We should care for the patient and explain the necessity of the operation so that he or she can accept the operation in the best mental state. Strengthen nutrition, correct anemia, and enhance the body's resistance. Try to give a high-protein, high-calorie, high-vitamin, easy-to-digest, low-residue diet to increase tolerance to the operation.

Adequate intestinal preparation is required to increase the success rate and safety of the operation. Intestinal antibiotics are given 3 days before the operation to inhibit intestinal bacteria and prevent postoperative infection. Liquid food is given 3 days before the operation and fasting is done 1 day before the operation to reduce feces and facilitate intestinal cleaning. Full intestinal lavage is performed 1 day before the operation according to the condition and the effect of lavage should be observed.

2. Postoperative care: Observe the patient's vital signs and changes in condition, and observe the bleeding of the wound. Fasting after surgery, gastrointestinal decompression until intestinal peristalsis is restored before eating. Diet should be gradual. Keep drainage unobstructed, and flush the drainage tube regularly according to the doctor's advice. For those with long-term catheterization, the urethral opening should be cleaned daily to prevent urinary tract infection. Keep the skin around the fistula clean and dry, and apply zinc oxide ointment or lithospermum oil.

3. Provide dietary guidance to patients. They can eat only after intestinal peristalsis is restored. Eat easily digestible food and avoid food that is too watery or has too much crude fiber. Eat more soy products, eggs, fish, etc. to make the stool dry and easy to clean. Teach patients to control the intensity of activities appropriately to avoid excessive activities that increase abdominal pressure and cause prolapse of the artificial anus mucosa.

Let the patient master the use of the anal bag. Wash the surrounding skin with clean water before using the anal bag. The anal bag should be appropriately tight and cleaned at any time to avoid infection and reduce odor. Instruct the patient to master the care of the anal bag, dilate it regularly, and go to the hospital for a follow-up examination in time if stenosis or difficulty in defecation is found.