Ostomy, Colostomy, Ileostomy, Urostomy. These four words and the images they convey produce dread in many people who know very little about them. An ostomy is a surgical procedure that creates an opening on the abdominal wall for waste products to move out of the body. It is performed when a medical condition is so severe that an ostomy offers a better alternative. The quality of life is usually much improved for patients with an ostomy, because their previous medical condition was so deliberating. To really understand an ostomy, it helps to know a little about the body’s anatomy. For more information, click here.