Types of Ostomy Bags

An ostomy bag is a prosthetic pouch that collects fecal or urinal waste which has been diverted to exit the body through a surgical opening in the abdomen known as a stoma. Just as there are different types of stoma so there are also different types of ostomy bags. Indeed, ostomy bags are categorised into separate types according to the specific stoma to which their function corresponds. As such the three most common ostomy bags are colostomy bags, ileostomy bags, and urostomy bags. To know about each of their fucnction visit this link.

Each type of ostomy bag serves a distinct function. So, whereas a colostomy bag is designed specifically to collect fecal waste from a colostomy stoma, an Ileostomy bag exclusively collects feces and digestive enzymes from an ileostomy stoma. Urostomy bags, meanwhile, are designed to collect urine from a urostomy stoma.

While ostomy bags are principally categorized according to the type of stoma to which they correspond, they can also be differentiated according to their distinct design characteristics.

One-piece ostomy bag systems offer an integrated design wherein the skin-barrier and the pouch are inseparable. On the other hand, a two-piece system provides a different design solution which connects the skin barrier to the pouch via a detachable mechanism known as a “flange”.

The distinction between one-piece and two-piece ostomy bags only begins to hint at the variety of design options available. For example, both one and two-piece systems can include drainage appendages, which enable the pouch to be reused, within their respective designs. Likewise, both systems can also accommodate single-use closed-end pouches.

Elsewhere, patients, according to their individual preferences, can choose between ostomy bags which are flat or convex, opaque or transparent, or pre-cut or cut-to-fit. What’s more, as technological advances result in the development of ever more sophisticated materials, so ostomy bag design continues to improve and offer ever more tailored solutions. Indeed, multi-chambered ostomy bags, which reduce sloshing, and moldable ostomy bags, which adapt to fit irregularly shaped stoma, exemplify how innovations in ostomy bag design are evolving with technology.

With the pace of technological progress showing little sign of slowing, the number of different types of ostomy bags available to patients can only be expected to increase into the future.