Three Types of Ostomies

An ostomy is a surgery that creates an opening in the skin on your body for waste (urine or fecal matter) to come out. The procedure is necessitated when something malfunctions, like not being able to urinate after the bladder has been removed, requiring an urostomy.

Colostomy  is a surgically-created opening into the colon (large intestine) through the abdomen. Its purpose is to allow the stool to bypass a diseased or damaged part of the colon. The output from a colostomy includes liquid or formed stool (or somewhere in between), gas, and odor.  A colostomy can be made at almost any point along the colon dependent on the medical reason and is often defined by the portion of the colon involved. There are four different kinds of colostomies, and a colostomy may be temporary or permanent.

Ileostomy is a surgically created opening into the small intestine through the abdomen. With an ileostomy, a section of the small intestine and large intestine (colon) have been removed or bypassed. The output from an ileostomy after surgery is generally a steady liquid type of drainage. Over time though, the stool will become thicker and more paste-like. Here are some additional facts: An ileostomy is located on the lower right or left-hand side of the abdomen. An ileostomy may be temporary or permanent.

Pictured: Colostomy (left) with a cut in the colon; Ileostomy (center) with no colon and a cut in the small intestine; Urostomy with kidneys and a cut in either the colon or small intestine

Urostomy is a surgically-created opening to drain urine. A urostomy allows urine to flow out of the body after the bladder has been removed or bypassed. The output from a urostomy is urine and possibly some mucus. An ileal conduit is the most common type of urostomy. It is created by removing a short segment of the small intestine (ileum) and using it as a pipeline for urine to flow out of the body. Another type of urinary diversion that’s less common is a colonic conduit. The principle is the same as the construction of an ileal conduit, only the large intestine is used for the pipeline. A urostomy is generally a permanent ostomy.