Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Ostomy
An ostomy is surgery to create an opening (stoma) from an area inside the body to the outside. It treats certain diseases of the digestive or urinary systems. It can be permanent, when an organ must be removed. It can be temporary, when the organ needs time to heal. The organ could be the small intestine, colon, rectum, or bladder. With an ostomy, there must be a new way for wastes to leave the body.
There are many different types of ostomy. Some examples are:
- Ileostomy - the bottom of the small intestine (ileum) is attached to the stoma. This bypasses the colon, rectum and anus.
- Colostomy - the colon is attached to the stoma. This bypasses the rectum and the anus.
- Urostomy - the tubes that carry urine to the bladder are attached to the stoma. This bypasses the bladder.
It sits within Digestive System, Kidneys and Urinary System and Surgery and Rehabilitation.
The lead U.S. institute for this subject is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Ostomy
130 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Study of TRE Seals on Early Post-operative SubjectsHollister Incorporated
- Ostomy Simulation for Patient Education Prior to Urologic Bowel Diversion SurgeriesUniversity of Minnesota
- ColoSeal™ ICD System Safety and Feasibility StudyAverto Medical, Inc.
- Improving Outcomes of Older Adults Undergoing Ostomy SurgeryMassachusetts General Hospital
- CP384 - Ostomy Care (OC) PRO Panel PlanColoplast A/S
- Gamification in Stoma Care Education for Nursing StudentsGazi University
Research already completed
- The Effect of Ho'Oponopono Technique on Ostomy Adjustment, Body Image, and Quality of LifeSaglik Bilimleri Universitesi
- Impact of Preoperative 3D Printed Stoma Placement on the Quality of Life of Ostomy PatientsCentre Hospitalier Departemental Vendee
- Clinical Investigation Exploring a Newly Developed Ostomy BaseplateColoplast A/S
- Discharge Checklist for Stoma Management SkillsNeslihan Özcanarslan
- Clinical Investigation Exploring a Newly Developed Ostomy Baseplate.Coloplast A/S
- Communication Intervention for Fecal Ostomy SurgeryMassachusetts General Hospital
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Ostomy Expanded InformationAmerican Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
- Ostomy Surgery of the BowelNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Living With
- Living with an OstomyAmerican Cancer Society
- Ostomy: Adapting to Life after Colostomy, Ileostomy, or UrostomyMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: ColostomyNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Urinary DiversionNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Ostomy. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Ostomy, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.