What exactly is a continent ileostomy?

Controlled ostomy: A continent ostomy is an ostomy that does not flow or leak continuously into a bag. It is usually skin level, nonobtrusive and can be drained or emptied by placing a drainage tube into a small orifice. It can be used in a variety of diseases, cancer inflammatory bowel disease. Etc.

Controllable: An ileostomy is placement of the end of the small intestine out of an opening made in the abdominal wall. Most of these will drain or empty spontaneously, without any control. A valve can be constructed at the opening of the intestine (stoma) which will allow no drainage unless a catheter is passed into the opening--we call this a "continent" ileostomy.