MyPathologyReport
October 27, 2023

A stoma is a medically created connection between an internal organ and the outside of the body. Your pathologist may receive tissue from a stoma if surgery is performed to fix or close the stoma or if your doctor is concerned that the area looks abnormal. When examined under the microscope, the tissue is often made up of both skin and the type of cells normally found in the connected organ.

Examples of stomas include:

Neck – A stoma in the neck is usually created to connect the trachea (windpipe) to the skin on the outside of the body. The purpose is to allow air to get in and out of the lungs when the airway above has become blocked. This kind of stoma is also sometimes created when a person requires a medical device to help them breathe.

Abdomen – A stoma in the abdomen is usually created to connect a part of the small bowel to the skin on the outside of the body. The purpose is to allow waste products from the stomach and small bowel to be removed from the body when the colon has become blocked or has been removed.

About this article

This article was written by doctors to help you read and understand your pathology report. Contact us if you have questions about this article or your pathology report. For a complete introduction to your pathology report, read this article.

Other helpful resources

Atlas of pathology