Word parts
What it means
An opening (stoma) made in surgery so that stool or urine can leave the body into a pouch. A colostomy brings the colon to the skin, an ileostomy brings the small bowel, and a urostomy carries urine. An ostomy may be short-term while the bowel heals, or permanent. A healthy stoma is pink to red and moist, like the inside of the mouth.
For the nurse
Check the stoma's color every shift: a pale, dusky, purple or black stoma must be reported at once. Cut the skin barrier to fit closely around the stoma, empty the pouch when it is one-third to one-half full, and protect the skin around it. Teach self-care and give room for the client's feelings about body image.
In a chart
"Colostomy stoma pink and moist; pouch emptied of 150 mL soft brown stool."
At a glance
| Spanish | ostomía |
|---|---|
| Also written | ostomies |
Related terms
col/o
A word root that means colon, the large intestine.
enter/o
A word part that means intestine, usually the small intestine.
elimination
The removal of waste from the body, mainly as urine and stool; also the removal of a drug from the body.