Ostomy & Continence

Support for continence issues and stoma care

Ostomy surgery is a life-saving procedure. However, learning how to live with a stoma can take time. St. Luke’s can help you before and after your ostomy surgery with clinical support and education. Our nationally certified wound, ostomy and continence (WOC) nurses work with multidisciplinary teams to help our patients with a stoma optimize by providing educational resources, managing clinical support and addressing any questions or concerns.

Continence Services
Our services include a range of medical and behavioral therapies, as well as social and emotional support. We begin with a thorough evaluation, including a review of patient history and a physical examination. Many patients require an urodynamic evaluation, which might include a cystometrogram, urethral pressure profile, electromyography and voiding flow rate. There are many different degrees and combinations of incontinence.

The severity of your leakage, your age, your tolerance of treatment and your lifestyle, along with the results of your physical exam and evaluation, will be taken into consideration to create a treatment plan specific to you.

Available services include:

• Post-void residual, a non-invasive study to assess for potential urinary retention as ordered by a physician
• Self-catheterization education as ordered by a physician
• Education of alternate resources on a range of continence-related conditions

Referral required for this service. If you need one, talk to your primary care provider.

To establish care with a St. Luke’s primary care provider, call 218.249.4000 or find a clinic near you.