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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here

Learn More

• Living With
• Specifics

See, Play and Learn

• Images

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Patient Handouts

Summary

An ostomy is surgery to create an opening (stoma) from an area inside the body to the outside. It treats certain diseases of the digestive or urinary systems. It can be permanent, when an organ must be removed. It can be temporary, when the organ needs time to heal. The organ could be the small intestine, colon, rectum, or bladder. With an ostomy, there must be a new way for wastes to leave the body.

There are many different types of ostomy. Some examples are:

• Ileostomy - the bottom of the small intestine (ileum) is attached to the stoma. This bypasses the colon, rectum and anus.
• Colostomy - the colon is attached to the stoma. This bypasses the rectum and the anus.
• Urostomy - the tubes that carry urine to the bladder are attached to the stoma. This bypasses the bladder.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Start Here

• Ostomy (American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons)
• Ostomy Surgery of the Bowel (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)

Living With

• Living with an Ostomy (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• Ostomy: Adapting to Life after Colostomy, Ileostomy, or Urostomy (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Specifics

• Colostomy Guide (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• Ileostomy Guide (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish
• Urinary Diversion (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases) Also in Spanish
• Urostomy Guide (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Images

• Colostomy - series (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Colostomy (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Urinary Diversion (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Determining the perception of stigma of individuals with ostomies.
• Article: Adjustment to a temporary compared to a permanent ostomy: A qualitative...
• Article: Person-centred ostomy care: a qualitative study of patients' experiences with routine...
• Ostomy -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Children

• For Parents of Children with Ostomies (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Changing your ostomy pouch (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Colostomy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Ileostomy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Ileostomy - caring for your stoma (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Ileostomy - changing your pouch (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Ileostomy - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Ileostomy and your diet (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Urostomy - stoma and skin care (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish