US Medical Term · procedures
Colostomy
Colostomía
What it means
Colostomy is a surgical procedure that brings one end of the large intestine out through an opening (stoma) made in the abdominal wall. Stools moving through the intestine drain through the stoma into a bag attached to the skin of the abdomen. MedlinePlus says the procedure is usually done after a bowel resection or an injury to the bowel and that the colostomy may be short-term or permanent. Reasons it lists include rectal or colon cancer and a partial or complete blockage of the large bowel. In the MedlinePlus overview of ostomy types, the colon is attached to the stoma in a colostomy, which bypasses the rectum and the anus. Before a person is released from the hospital, an ostomy nurse teaches them how to care for the colostomy.
Colostomy in Spanish
- Spanish term
- Colostomía
- Gender and article
- feminine: la colostomía
- Pronunciation
- koh-lohs-toh-MEE-ah
Colostomía is the title of the MedlinePlus en español article, and it is feminine: la colostomía. The Spanish dictionary gives it two medical senses: the surgical operation that gives the colon an outlet through the abdominal wall, and the opening that results from that operation. MedlinePlus en español describes it as un procedimiento quirúrgico and says la colostomía puede ser temporal o permanente.
The opening itself is the estoma. The Spanish dictionary marks estoma as a masculine noun whose medical sense is an opening to the outside made in a hollow organ such as the intestine, while the MedlinePlus en español article prints it with a feminine article in salen por la estoma. Other words from that article are intestino grueso (large intestine), heces (stools), bolsa de colostomía (colostomy bag), dispositivo de ostomía for the bag placed around the opening, and anestesia general (general anesthesia).
Phrases for an appointment
What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:
| Who | English | Spanish |
|---|---|---|
| Patient | The surgeon said I will need a colostomy. Will it be temporary or permanent? | El cirujano dijo que voy a necesitar una colostomía. ¿Será temporal o permanente? |
| Clinician | It may be temporary, so that part of your intestine can rest while you recover. | Puede ser temporal, para que parte de su intestino descanse mientras usted se recupera. |
| Patient | Where on my abdomen will the stoma be? | ¿En qué parte del abdomen estará el estoma? |
| Clinician | Usually on the left side. Stool will drain through it into a bag. | Generalmente en el lado izquierdo. Las heces saldrán por él hacia una bolsa. |
| Patient | Who will show me how to change the colostomy bag? | ¿Quién me va a enseñar a cambiar la bolsa de colostomía? |
| Clinician | The ostomy nursing staff will teach you before you leave the hospital. | El personal de enfermería especializado en ostomías le enseñará antes de que salga del hospital. |
| Patient | The skin around my stoma is red and irritated. | La piel alrededor del estoma está roja e irritada. |
| Clinician | Let me look at it. Does it hurt when I touch here? | Déjeme revisarla. ¿Le duele cuando toco aquí? |
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Colostomy |
| Spanish (Español) | Colostomía |
| Chinese (中文) | 結腸造口術 |
| Korean (한국어) | 결장루 조성술 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Phẫu thuật hậu môn nhân tạo |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Colostomy |
| Portuguese (Português) | Colostomia |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | การผ่าตัดเปิดทางออกลำไส้ใหญ่ |
| Japanese (日本語) | 結腸ストーマ造設術 |
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Your right to an interpreter in the United States
If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.
You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»
More terms: Digestive system
All terms in this area: Digestive system — Sistema digestivo
Sources
- Colostomy — MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, National Library of Medicine
- Colostomía — MedlinePlus en español, Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina
- Ostomy — MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
- colostomía — Diccionario de la lengua española — Real Academia Española / ASALE
- estoma — Diccionario de la lengua española — Real Academia Española / ASALE
- Limited English Proficiency (LEP): Your Right to Language Assistance Services — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights
This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.
Last reviewed: October 8, 2026