How common is a colostomy bag?

Did you know that as many as one million people in the United States live with an ostomy? People of all ages have colostomy bags after ostomy surgery in order to treat complications of Crohns disease, colorectal cancer, diverticulitis, and many other conditions.

Are colostomy bags rare?

The stoma allows stools to pass out through the abdomen instead of passing through the bowels and rectum. As a result, the patient wears a colostomy bag to protect their stoma and collect stool. Needing a colostomy is rare, but there are a number of conditions that may require temporary or permanent colostomies.