Terminology

• Abscess - a collection of pus that has built up within the tissue of the body
• Adhesive – a type of glue used to help an ostomy appliance to adhere, comes in liquid, spray, or pad format
• Adhesive remover wipe (ostomy) – a wipe that assists with the removal of adhesive/paste on the skin without leaving an oily residue
• Adhesive remover spray (ostomy) – a spray that assists with the removal of the ostomy appliance without leaving an oily residue
• Adhesive strips - see barrier extenders
• Adhesions - formation of scar tissue between loops of bowel in the abdomen
• Appliance – a pouching system worn over the stoma to contain effluent (stool) or urine
• Barrier Extenders - are separate pieces of hydrocolloid, transparent film or tape that are shaped to fit around your ostomy flange/baseplate
• Barrier rings – flexible and moldable rings that fill in creases and help to improve wear time
• Baseplate – see flange below
• Burping – the ability to release gas by uncoupling a two piece pouching system
• Closed pouches – a pouch/bag that cannot be emptied. Used by colostomates
• Colectomy - the removal of all or part of your colon
• Colostomy – a surgical opening from the colon to the surface of the abdomen to form a stoma
• Concave – a flat pouching system that curves outwards to conform to a rounded abdomen
• Connector – an adapter that connects the urostomy appliance to a night drainage system, either a catheter bag or a bottle
• Convexity – outward curving of a base plate/skin barrier. The convexity helps the stoma to protrude or to fill in dips where the abdomen has creases
• Crohns disease – an inflammatory condition that affects the lining of the digestive tract (mouth to anus)
• Deodorant drops – drops used to mask the odour of the effluent/stool
• Drainable/open bags – a pouch with an opening at the bottom through which the contents are drained
• Enterostomal Nurse (ET) – a nurse who has specialized training in wound, ostomy, and continence
• Faceplate – see flange below
• Filter – allows gas but not odour to filter out of the pouch, commonly blocks for ileostomy patients
• Flange – the flange/base plate is the part of the ostomy pouching system that adheres to the skin. The pouch is then attached to the flange/baseplate. It is part of a two-piece pouching system
• Flange extenders - see barrier extenders
• Folliculitis – inflammation of the hair follicles due to bacteria or fungus
• Granuloma - extra tissue that develops around the stoma where the skin meets the stoma and sometimes on the stoma
• Hernia –when an internal organ (like the bowel) protrudes through the wall of the muscle or tissue that normally contains it
• Hernia belt – a belt that is worn to help prevent a hernia from forming; it is available in opening or no opening
• Ileal Anal Pouch Anastomosis - see J pouch
• Ileostomy – surgical opening from the ileum ( small intestine) to the surface of the abdomen to form a stoma
• Ileum – the final section of the small intestine
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBS) - a chronic inflammation of all or part of your digestive tract. It includes Crohn's and Colitis
• Irrigation – a procedure for those with a colostomy that instills water into your stoma to regulate your bowels
• J-Pouch – internal pouch made out of the small intestine and connected to the anus
• Lubricant – used to help the stool slide out of the pouch more easily
• Night drainage bottle – a reusable bottle that connects to a urostomy at night to allow the urine to drain
• No-tape appliance – an ostomy pouching system that has only a hydrocolloid adhesive
• NSWOC – Nurse specialized in wound, ostomy and continence see ET or WOCN
• Obstruction – a blockage in the intestine resulting in watery or no output
• One-piece – This system has the bag and adhesive base plate (also known as flange, wafer, or skin protector/barrier) combined as one item
• Opaque – A non-transparent pouch. Usually beige. Allows the contents of the pouch to be concealed
• Ostomate – the term used to describe a person living with an ostomy
• Ostomy – a surgical opening from the intestines or ureters to the surface of the abdomen to form a stoma
• Ostomy belt – a belt that attaches to the ostomy pouching system
• Ostomy paste - a gummy type of skin barrier material that comes in a tube that may be used to fill skin indentations (NOTE: not to be used as 'glue' to hold on a pouch)
• Ostomy powder - a powdered pectin product that can be applied to irritated peristomal skin to protect the skin from further breakdown from the ostomy output
• Pancaking – when the output collects between the skin and the back of the flange
• Parastomal hernia - when an internal organ (like the bowel) protrudes through the wall of the muscle or tissue, around the stoma
• Peak-a Boo window – an opening in the beige cover of the ostomy pouch to allow you to visualize the stoma or pouch contents
• Peristomal hernia – used interchangeably with parastomal hernia
• Peristomal skin – the skin immediately around the stoma
• Pouch – the bag that the urine, effluent, or stool is collected in
• Pouchitis – inflammation of the J-pouch (see above)
• Prolapse – when the bowel telescopes through the stomal opening, making it longer
• Pseudoverrucous lesions – also known as urine crystals see urine crystals
• Skin barriers – a term used for either a flange or for skin prep (see below), a barrier that protects the skin from the output
• Skin prep – a liquid that forms a film on the skin on application to protect it
• Stoma - surgically created opening in the intestine that allows the removal of feces or urine, in the case of a urostomy, out of the body
• Stoma measuring guide – a card used to measure the stoma size
• Taped appliance – an ostomy pouching system that has both a hydrocolloid and a tape adhesive
• Transparent pouch - the pouch that allows you to see the contents and stoma
• Two-piece - This system has a separate bag and base plate, which are attached
• Ulcerative Colitis – inflammation and sores in the lining of the large intestine
• Urine crystals – sharp crystals that can form on a urinary stoma or surrounding skin, also known as pseudoverrucous lesions
• Urostomy – a surgical procedure that diverts the normal flow of urine from the kidneys and ureters into a specially created stoma
• Wear time - this is the length of time a product is worn due to choice or leakage
• WOCN – wound ostomy continence nurse – same as ET

Websites & Files

• A Guide to Living with a Colostomy (PDF)
• A Guide to Living with an Ileal Conduit (PDF)
• A Guide to Living with an Ileostomy (PDF)
• A Handbook for New Ostomy Patients (PDF)
• A Patient's Guide to Ostomy Reversal (PDF)
• Ostomy Canada Society (website)
• United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA) (website)
• Vancouver United Ostomy Association (UOA) (website)

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