In this article, we will not discuss the literal meanings of ostomy. The term ostomy generally refers to an opening in the abdomen to allow waste materials to pass out of the body. Behind this opening (stoma) is a diversion to bypass the diseased section of the excretory tract.

Depending on their functionality, there are three types of ostomy: ileostomy, colostomy, and urostomy.

1.Ileostomy: The surgeon creates this ostomy by pulling the end of the small intestine through an incision in the belly. This end is sutured with the abdominal skin to create a stoma. This ostomy bypasses the entire colon.

2.Colostomy: To create a colostomy, the surgeon pulls a part of the colon through the intestinal wall. A colostomy is further divided into four subtypes, with each subtype differing from others based on the location of the stoma. These four subtypes are the ascending colostomy, transverse colostomy, descending colostomy, and sigmoid colostomy.

3.Urostomy: An ostomy to divert the flow of urine away from the bladder and reroute it towards the abdominal wall is known as a urostomy. Urostomy surgery typically involves the removal of a small piece of the ileum to be used as a conduit. The surgeon attaches ureters at one side of the conduit and pulls the other end through the abdominal wall to create a stoma. The conduit serves as an alternative bladder, but it is not a reservoir to store urine, which means that the urine will pass out of the stoma as soon as it enters the conduit.

The surgeon may choose to give you a continent ostomy, which generally consists of the parts of small and large intestines combined surgically to create an internal reservoir. This option is typically suitable for ileostomies and urostomies. The continent urostomy has an internal reservoir that connects to the outside of the body through a valve. The best thing about this internal reservoir is that it allows the patient to draw the urine out through a catheter. The internal pouch for an ileostomy typically connects to the anus, allowing the patient to get rid of bodily wastes just as the people without ostomies do.

There are various reasons for a person to require an ostomy. Most typically, it is an underlying condition that causes an excretory tract to stop functioning. An injury may also be a factor in this regard. Common reasons for ostomies include the following.

•Cancer

•Perforation of the bowel

•Bowel needing some time to rest

•Inflammatory bowel disease

•Injury due to an accident

•Neurological disorder

The most common reason for a bowel ostomy is an inflammatory disorder, such as inflammatory bowel disease. No matter what the reason is, an ostomy can be temporary or permanent, depending on the severity of the condition. A temporary ostomy generally has a loop stoma, which the surgeon creates by pulling a loop of the bowel out through a cut in the abdomen and making an incision on the top of the loop to create the stoma. A permanent ostomy, on the other hand, involves the surgeon pulling out the end of the healthy section of the bowel, bypassing the diseased section, which is either removed or left inside.