Certified Ostomy Care Nurse (COCN) Practice Exam 2025 - Free COCN Practice Questions and Study Guide

An end colostomy is most likely to develop a prolapse due to its design and placement. In an end colostomy, the distal end of the colon is brought to the surface of the abdominal wall, creating a stoma where the feces exits the body. This configuration can lead to mechanical stress on the stoma, especially if the surrounding abdominal muscles are weak or if there’s increased abdominal pressure from activities like lifting or straining.

Prolapse occurs when the stoma protrudes from the abdominal wall beyond its normal position. The end colostomy is more prone to this condition compared to other types of stomas because it has a longer length of bowel exposed and is more susceptible to movement.

Loop colostomies, end ileal conduits, and loop ileostomies generally have a different anatomical setup and support, which can make them less prone to prolapse in comparison to end colostomies. In loop colostomies, the bowel segment is turned back on itself, which provides more stability. Similarly, an end ileal conduit involves an ileal segment that does not have the same high risk for prolapse as an end colostomy. Loop ileostomies also provide a more