colostomy

American  

[kuh-los-tuh-mee] / kəˈlɒs tə mi /

noun

Surgery.

plural

colostomies

1. the construction of an artificial opening from the colon through the abdominal wall, thus bypassing a diseased portion of the lower intestine and permitting the passage of intestinal contents.

2. the opening so constructed.

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colostomy British  

/ kəˈlɒstəmɪ /

noun

1. the surgical formation of an opening from the colon onto the surface of the body, which functions as an anus

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colostomy Scientific  

/ kə-lŏs′tə-mē /

1. Surgical construction of an opening from the colon through the abdominal wall to the outside of the body for the purpose of excretion.

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Etymology

Origin of colostomy

First recorded in 1885–90; colo- + -stomy

Example Sentences

"He explained the procedure to me and at that point I didn't even know what a colostomy bag was. The doctor said, 'you're very poorly and it's a very risky operation'. I could have died."

From BBC • Aug. 24, 2023

She had to wear a colostomy bag for several months until she healed.

From Seattle Times • May 23, 2023

In “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” Matthew Perry gets serious about sobriety, mortality, colostomy bags and pickleball.

From New York Times • Oct. 24, 2022

She used to use duct tape to secure her colostomy bag.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 20, 2022

When the teacher got to her, Whitiker thought about the colostomy bag attached to her patient and started crying.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times