What is a stoma? Stoma products and manufacturers

A stoma, also known as an ostomy, is an opening in the abdomen that leads to the intestine and allows faces to be passed (or bladder for urine). A bag is attached to the stoma to collect contents. A stoma operation is performed when the intestines cannot perform their usual function, usually because of a disease such as inflammatory bowel disease, bowel cancer, or obstruction. It may be temporary or permanent. There are different types of ostomies depending on where the connection to the abdomen is made from: a colostomy connects the large intestine, an ileostomy connects the small intestine and a urostomy which connects the bladder. Contents from a colostomy will be solid, and an ileostomy is generally fluid.