There are various kinds of ostomy—the surgical creation of an "opening into" some organ to connect it with the skin. A tracheostomy can be performed to improve breathing, for example. Most ostomies are performed to allow the elimination of body wastes through the abdominal wall.
"Ostomy" is the word for the total change the surgeon makes. "Ostomate" is one common term for a person who undergoes this change in personal plumbing. The new opening that can be seen on the abdomen is called a stoma .
There are three general categories of these abdominal exit ostomies:
• Colostomy is the rerouting of the colon, or large intestine. This change may be permanent or temporary.
• Ileostomy is such a detour in the ileum, the last section of the small intestine.
• Urostomy , or urinary diversion, covers a number of surgical procedures that redirect urine to the outside of
the body when the bladder or another part of the urinary tract has to be bypassed or removed.
