{"entity":{"id":"stoma","kind":"term","name":"Stoma (colostomy, ileostomy, urostomy)","aka":["colostomy","ileostomy","urostomy","ileal conduit","neobladder","ostomy","stoma reversal"],"tldr":"An opening made in the abdominal wall so bowel or urine empties into a bag; may be temporary while a join heals, or permanent when the rectum, anus or bladder has been removed.","summary":"A loop ileostomy protects a low rectal anastomosis for a few months and is then reversed. Abdominoperineal resection leaves a permanent colostomy; cystectomy is followed by an ileal conduit (urostomy) or an orthotopic neobladder made from bowel that the patient empties by straining. Stoma avoidance is a major motive behind organ-preservation strategies in rectal, anal and bladder cancer, and stoma care nursing is a large part of survivorship.","asOf":"2026-09-09","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoma_(medicine)","links":[{"label":"Wikipedia","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoma_(medicine)"},{"label":"Bowel Cancer UK: stomas","url":"https://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/about-bowel-cancer/treatment/surgery/stomas/"},{"label":"NHS: what is a colostomy?","url":"https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/colostomy/what-is-a-colostomy/"},{"label":"NHS: recovery and lifestyle changes after a colostomy","url":"https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/colostomy/recovery-and-lifestyle-changes-after-a-colostomy/"},{"label":"NHS: complications of a colostomy","url":"https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/colostomy/complications-of-a-colostomy/"},{"label":"Cancer Research UK: coping with a stoma","url":"https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/bowel-cancer/living-with/having-stoma"},{"label":"Colostomy UK: managing your colostomy","url":"https://www.colostomyuk.org/information/managing-your-colostomy/"},{"label":"NICE NG151: colorectal cancer, recommendations","url":"https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng151/chapter/Recommendations"}],"tags":[],"related":["abdominoperineal-resection","cystectomy","organ-preservation"],"cancers":["colorectal","urothelial"],"sections":["surgery","supportive-care"],"technologies":[],"targets":[],"drugs":[],"companies":[],"institutions":[],"pathways":[],"terms":[],"trials":[],"people":[],"bottlenecks":[],"keyPapers":[],"journals":[],"dependsOn":[],"notes":["Bowel cancer: Bowel Cancer UK says a stoma can be reversible (formed to let the bowel heal after surgery) or permanent (formed when there is not enough bowel left to join to the anus, or the two ends cannot be joined), and that the surgeon may not know for certain until the operation has started. A colostomy is formed from the large bowel, usually on the left, and the output is more solid; an ileostomy is formed from the small bowel and the output is looser.","NICE NG151 says to advise people of the likelihood of having a stoma, why it might be necessary and for how long it might be needed, and that if relevant a trained stoma professional should provide information on the care and management of stomas and on learning to live with a stoma.","The NHS says it usually takes around 8 weeks to recover from a colostomy, to avoid strenuous activity or heavy lifting for 8 weeks while the tummy muscles heal, and that with a permanent colostomy the GP gives a prescription for stoma bags free on the NHS while a temporary one may have to be paid for."],"category":"Procedures"},"route":"/terms/stoma/","neighbours":{"term":[{"id":"abdominoperineal-resection","kind":"term","name":"Abdominoperineal resection","route":"/terms/abdominoperineal-resection/"},{"id":"living-with-a-stoma-bowel-cancer","kind":"term","name":"Living with a stoma after bowel cancer surgery","route":"/terms/living-with-a-stoma-bowel-cancer/"},{"id":"low-anterior-resection-syndrome","kind":"term","name":"Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS)","route":"/terms/low-anterior-resection-syndrome/"},{"id":"organ-preservation","kind":"term","name":"Organ preservation (watch-and-wait, bladder-sparing, larynx preservation)","route":"/terms/organ-preservation/"},{"id":"colorectal-palliation-obstruction-pain","kind":"term","name":"Palliation in colorectal cancer: obstruction, stents, stomas and liver capsule pain","route":"/terms/colorectal-palliation-obstruction-pain/"},{"id":"cystectomy","kind":"term","name":"Radical cystectomy","route":"/terms/cystectomy/"},{"id":"sex-fertility-after-bowel-cancer","kind":"term","name":"Sexual function, fertility and body image after bowel cancer","route":"/terms/sex-fertility-after-bowel-cancer/"},{"id":"urgent-help-bowel-cancer","kind":"term","name":"When to seek urgent help with bowel cancer (NHS 111 and 999)","route":"/terms/urgent-help-bowel-cancer/"}],"cancer":[{"id":"urothelial","kind":"cancer","name":"Bladder & urothelial cancer","route":"/cancers/urothelial/"},{"id":"colorectal","kind":"cancer","name":"Colorectal cancer","route":"/cancers/colorectal/"},{"id":"rectal-cancer","kind":"cancer","name":"Rectal cancer","route":"/cancers/rectal-cancer/"}],"section":[{"id":"supportive-care","kind":"section","name":"Supportive Care & Survivorship","route":"/fronts/supportive-care/"},{"id":"surgery","kind":"section","name":"Surgery & Interventional","route":"/fronts/surgery/"}],"technology":[{"id":"rejuv-mind-body-after-stoma-and-limb-loss","kind":"technology","name":"Living with a stoma, and living after an amputation","route":"/technologies/rejuv-mind-body-after-stoma-and-limb-loss/"},{"id":"rejuv-recon-pelvic-exenteration","kind":"technology","name":"Recovery after pelvic exenteration","route":"/technologies/rejuv-recon-pelvic-exenteration/"},{"id":"rejuv-recon-stoma-reversal","kind":"technology","name":"Stoma reversal after rectal cancer surgery: who gets the bowel joined up again","route":"/technologies/rejuv-recon-stoma-reversal/"}]}}