A stoma is often referred to as a ‘bag’. It is the term used when an opening is made in the skin of the abdomen and a section of bowel (intestine) is diverted and connected to the opening during an operation.
Insights
Crohn’s, colitis, and surgery
Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis (together known as inflammatory bowel diseases or IBD) affect more than 80 000 people in Australia, and are becoming more common. It is estimated that 1 in 250 Australians aged 5-40 have IBD.