Viewers of 24 Hours in A&E on Channel 4 were left with mouths agape after seeing an exposed stoma on tonight's episode (January 24). Callum, 21, was in visible pain in hospital after having a prolapsed stoma, where some of his bowel was left externally exposed.
Colorectal registrar Dr Charlie was called in to assess his condition after Callum revealed he had been having pains since the night before. "What you've got is a prolapsed stoma, so the stuff that's usually on the inside is on the outside", Charlie says.
"A stoma is a general term where we've rerouted your bowel to your abdominal wall and you pass your waste into a bag", she explained. "It's essentially fashioning a new bottom for you."
Warning - this article contains a picture further down of Dr Charlie pouring sugar on Callum's prolapsed stoma.
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In order to get the exposed bowel back in, she used a technique that looks to the everyday viewer rather medieval - sugar.
She said: "Anyone that's ever put salt on a slug and watched it shrivel up - the same kind of thing happens so the sugar draws fluid towards itself so you get a slightly smaller stoma. "Sometimes that’s just enough to mean that you can get it back in."
Angela said on Twitter: "Sugar-on-stoma #24hrsae is blowing my mind."
Lara Badger said what was on everybody's lips: "I am screaming! #24hrsAE."
Lis (@mrsflymo) said: "OH MY GOOD GOD!!! That poor lad. 21 yrs old and a prolapse bowel. Not pleasant. And most certainly not pleasant viewing! #thinkimgonnapuke #24hrsae."
Sara said: "One of the reasons I love #24hrsAE so much is because it’s so educational. Who knew that sugar can be used to shrink a prolapsed stoma?
"I never knew a stoma prolapsed in the first place. Every day is a school day."
Steph Smith said: "Could've done with not eating my dinner while turning the tv on and seeing that guys insides hanging out #24hrsae."
Callum had entered into resus a couple of years earlier after receiving a stab wound outside a nightclub in town. He said he was confronted by someone he knew with a knife, and after Callum told him to "put the knife down", but he was subsequently stabbed.
The assailant was sentenced 12 years in prison, but Callum had to have a stoma as a result, which he says means he "can't run or do anything now". Unfortunately, the sugar technique was not successful this time, so after exhausting all available options, Callum was admitted to emergency surgery.
In the end, it was revealed that Callum had to have more of his bowel removed after being in surgery for more than two hours, but thankfully he has since recovered successfully at home.
Channel 4's 24 Hours in A&E is on every Tuesday at 9pm and is also available to view online on All4 here.
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