What is an ileostomy?

An ileostomy is a surgical procedure that involves creating an opening from the ileum, which is the final section of the small intestine, to the outside of the body. This is typically performed when a portion of the lower intestine or colon needs to be bypassed or removed due to conditions such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, or colorectal cancer.

In this procedure, the ileum is brought through the abdominal wall to form a stoma, allowing digestive waste to exit the body into a collection bag rather than passing through the rectum. The creation of this opening helps manage bowel function and can significantly improve a patient's quality of life when dealing with severe gastrointestinal disorders.

The other options refer to different types of surgical openings associated with other parts of the digestive system but do not accurately define an ileostomy. For example, an opening into the rectum would be associated with a colostomy or rectostomy, an opening into the colon is also related to a colostomy, and an opening into the stomach may refer to a gastrostomy. Thus, the identification of an ileostomy specifically as an opening into the ileum is what confirms the accuracy of the correct answer.