Meaning of loss in patients who have digestive stomas / Significado de la pérdida en personas portadoras de estomas digestivos

Abstract

A qualitative systematic review was carried out with the purpose of exploring the meaning of loss experienced by patients who have digestive stomas. Seventy-seven studies were reviewed, of which 54 addressed the above objective. Studies show that the person’s body undergoes a resignification process, characterized by a sense of contradiction in regard to the stoma, as they experience it as a real loss while also believing it is an option to continue living.