Sometimes, depending on the reason for surgery, the end of the small bowel or a loop of the small bowel is brought out onto the abdomen to create a stoma; this means that faeces cannot pass in the normal way, therefore a stoma needs to be formed to create a new outlet for waste material to be passed. When the Ileum (small bowel) is brought out onto the abdomen the stoma formed is called an ileostomy.

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There are different types of ileostomy and the type of ileostomy will depend on the reason for needing the surgical procedure. An ileostomy is usually on the right side of the abdomen. The stoma can be either temporary or permanent.