The digestive system breaks down food and gets rid of waste, but sometimes it doesn’t work as it should. When this happens, surgeons can do a procedure called an ostomy (OSS-tuh-mee).
In a loop ostomy, the surgeon pulls a loop of bowel through an opening made in the wall of the belly. The loop is opened, and the edges of the bowel are stitched to the skin to create a stoma (STOE-muh) with two openings. One opening drains waste and the other drains mucus. The waste and mucus go from the stoma into a bag placed over the opening.
Learn the basics in 45 seconds.
Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.
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