A surgical procedure that creates an opening (stoma) in the abdominal wall where the small intestine (ileum) is brought to the surface, allowing intestinal contents to drain into an external collection bag. Often performed when the colon must be removed or needs to heal.
From Latin 'ileum' (the final portion of the small intestine, named from Greek 'eilein' meaning to roll up) and Greek 'stoma' (mouth or opening). The procedure developed alongside advances in understanding intestinal anatomy and improved surgical techniques in the 19th and 20th centuries.
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