Stoma & Ostomy Care Glossary
Plain-language definitions of the terms used across our product pages and Health Resources guides.
Reviewed by the G1 Healthcare Clinical Team
- Stoma
- A surgically created opening on the abdomen that allows waste (stool or urine) to exit the body when the usual route is no longer available or safe to use, typically after bowel or bladder surgery.
- Ostomy
- The general term for the surgical procedure that creates a stoma, and for the resulting condition of living with one. Colostomy, ileostomy, and urostomy are all types of ostomy.
- Colostomy
- An ostomy that diverts a section of the large bowel (colon) to the abdominal surface. Output is typically more formed than an ileostomy's.
- Ileostomy
- An ostomy that diverts the small bowel (ileum) before it reaches the colon. Output is liquid to porridge-like and continuous, since the colon's water-absorbing function is bypassed.
- Urostomy
- A urinary diversion that channels urine to the abdominal surface, usually following bladder removal, via a section of small bowel repurposed as a conduit. Unrelated to bowel function.
- Peristomal skin
- The skin immediately surrounding a stoma, which the pouching system's adhesive barrier sits against. Its condition is the single biggest factor in how well a pouch seals and how long it can be worn.
- One-piece system
- An ostomy pouch where the skin barrier (baseplate) and the collection pouch are permanently joined as a single unit, changed together.
- Two-piece system
- An ostomy pouching system where the skin barrier and the collection pouch are separate, connecting via a flange or adhesive coupling — the pouch can be changed without removing the barrier from the skin.
- Baseplate (skin barrier)
- The adhesive component of an ostomy pouching system that adheres to the peristomal skin and creates the seal around the stoma, protecting the skin from output.
- Hydrocolloid
- A skin-friendly adhesive material used in ostomy skin barriers, chosen for its ability to absorb moisture from the skin while maintaining adhesion, reducing irritation compared to simple tape adhesives.
- Cut-to-fit
- A baseplate style supplied with a starting hole that the user trims to match their own stoma's exact size and shape, rather than a fixed pre-cut opening.
- Drainable pouch
- An ostomy pouch with an opening at the bottom that can be emptied without removing the whole pouch — standard for ileostomies and urostomies, where output is frequent or continuous.
- Closed pouch
- A sealed ostomy pouch with no drainage opening, removed and replaced as a whole unit — typically used for colostomies with more formed, less frequent output.
- Parastomal hernia
- A bulge in the abdominal wall next to a stoma, caused by intestine or tissue pushing through weakened muscle around the stoma site — a recognised long-term surgical risk, more common with heavy lifting during recovery.
- SAHPRA
- The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority — the government body that regulates the safety, quality and registration of medicines and medical devices, including ostomy products, for lawful sale in South Africa.
- SAHPRA Category B device
- A medical device risk classification under SAHPRA's registration framework corresponding to low-to-moderate risk devices, a category that includes most standard ostomy bags and accessories.
- UDI (Unique Device Identification)
- A standardised code assigned to a specific medical device model, used to trace it through the supply chain and verify its regulatory registration — printed on G1 Healthcare product packaging and listed on each product page.
- ISO 10993
- An international standard series for testing the biological safety of medical devices that contact the body, covering tests such as cytotoxicity, skin irritation, and sensitization — used to confirm a device material won't harm the skin or tissue it touches.
- Prescribed Minimum Benefit (PMB)
- A defined set of healthcare services that every registered South African medical scheme is legally required to cover, regardless of which plan a member holds, under the Medical Schemes Act.
- Stoma care nurse
- A nurse with specialist training in ostomy care, typically involved in a patient's pre- and post-surgical education, pouching system selection, and ongoing peristomal skin management.
These are general educational definitions, not medical advice — for guidance on your own care, speak to your stoma care nurse or physician.