Common Urostomy Problems

Urinary Crystals

Urinary crystals on the stoma or skin are linked to alkaline urine – the crystals look like white, gritty particles and may lead to stoma irritation or bleeding of the stoma.

To prevent urinary crystals from forming on or around your urostomy, you should try to keep your urine acidic through:

• Drinking cranberry juice
• Eating live yoghurt
• Keeping well-hydrated by drinking water

Proper cleaning of your stoma and careful application of the pouch will also help to prevent urinary crystals from forming. There are also gels and washes available to help reduce urinary crystals – please contact your stoma care nurse for more information.

Mucous Build Up

The appearance of mucous is normal as your urostomy is made from a piece of bowel. It looks white and sticky and can commonly be mistaken for a sign of infection.

Urostomy skin issues

The skin around a urostomy can become irritated, red, itchy or sore due to urine getting on the skin from a poor fitting pouch, allergies to the products and a bacterial or fungal infection.

Keeping the stoma area clean and dry is essential. Use warm water to clean the area and make sure to wash hands before and after any care. A properly fitting stoma appliance also helps prevent leaks that can irritate the skin and allow bacteria to grow.

If there’s persistent redness or other concerning symptoms, please contact your stoma care nurse.

Urostomy Urine infection

It is possible to get a urinary tract infection (UTI) with a urostomy. It is important to recognise the signs and symptoms of these early if left untreated it can lead to sepsis. The signs include;

• Dark, cloudy urine
• Strong smelling urine
• Pain around the stoma or kidneys (back pain)
• A fever
• Blood in the urine
• Feeling confused and out of sorts

Symptoms of UTI with Urostomy

If you have any of these signs it is important to seek urgent medical advice. Usually, a urine sample will be required directly from the stoma or using a catheter, your healthcare professional can support with this. The urine will be analysed and if an infection is identified it will be treated with antibiotics.

To prevent urine infections, it is important to stay hydrated, drinking plenty of water and reducing caffeine. Taking supplements such as Vitamin C and drinking cranberry juice can also help infection problems. However, advice must be taken from your GP or stoma care nurse prior to taking these, as they can interfere with certain medications that you may be prescribed, such as Warfarin.

Cleaning and changing night drainage systems regularly can help.

Urostomy Night Bag Problems

Sleeping with a urostomy night or leg bag attached to a urostomy pouch gives greater capacity and helps provide you with an uninterrupted night’s sleep.

These are available on prescription through Fittleworth and your stoma care nurse can advise you as to which leg bags or night bags are suitable.

Urostomy Bag Leakage Problems

Urostomy bag leakage can occur for a variety of different reasons, which can include:

• Urostomy bag hole is too large – this needs to be a snug fit
• Urostomy bag is applied incorrectly – this can be due to creases in adhesive and abdominal skin behind the pouch. To combat this, the skin needs to be gently stretched
• Skin is too moist – make sure the skin is dry before applying the stoma pouch
• Stoma is in a dip or crease in the abdomen – try paste, washers or different pouches to help the adhesive gently conform to the body’s shape. Speak to your healthcare professional for advice.
• Stoma is flat or retracted – you may need a stoma pouch with a convex flange.

Speak to your healthcare professional for advice.