bag is a plastic bag that collects fecal matter from the digestive tract through an opening in the abdominal wall called a stoma. Doctors attach a bag to the stoma following a colostomy operation.
During a colostomy, a surgeon will bring out a portion of a person’s large intestine through the stoma. The colostomy bag can then collect stool as it passes through the gut.
A person often needs a colostomy due to injury, disease, or another issue with the lower bowels. In some cases, the colostomy is temporary. In other situations, such as the removal of the colon due to colon cancer, the colostomy may be permanent.
Following a colostomy, a person will have some choice about what type of bag they want to use. People often refer to each option as a pouching system. Pouching systems come in a variety of different styles and sizes.
Not every system works for all people. An individual must find the pouching system that performs best for them and their circumstances.
Useful things to look for when picking a pouching system include:
odor resistance
a bag that is easy to put on and take off
a leakproof seal that lasts for up to 3 days
a bag that is hard or impossible to see under clothes
a bag that is gentle on skin around the stoma
A pouching system consists of:
A flange, wafer, or skin barrier that attaches to the skin around the stoma.
A pouch that attaches to the flange and collects the stool as it passes through the stoma.
Pouching systems come in two basic types:
A one piece system where the bag attaches directly to the skin around the stoma.
A two piece system where the flange attaches to the skin around the stoma and the bag attaches to the flange.