What is a stoma?
Support and information for stoma patients and caregivers

A stoma (also called an ostomy) is a surgical opening from the abdomen to allow either faeces or urine to be directed to the opening of the stoma.
A stoma pouch (also called a stoma bag) collects the ‘output’ (faeces or urine) from the stoma.
A person with a stoma is often called an ‘ostomate.’ Stomas may be temporary or permanent and there are a number of different reasons why they may be needed but the most common are:
- Colorectal cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Ulcerative colitis
- Crohn’s disease
- Accidental injury
There are three types of stoma:
Colostomy
This is an opening from the large intestine
Ileostomy
This is an opening from the small intestine
Urostomy
This is an opening for a person’s urine