An ostomy appliance including an ostomy pouch with a filter and a center pleated panel to protect the filter, facilitate deodorization and deter ballooning. One aspect of the invention in the filter design to improve the clogging resistance by using the newly developed pleated center panel design. This design includes a filter in the front panel of the pouch and a center panel of film that is intended to shield the filter from direct exposure to stool that is expelled from the stoma. The center panel has at least one pleat, and preferably two pleats, that are intentionally formed into the center panel. These pleats allow the gas to travel from the stoma area into the filter area while preventing a majority of the stool from get to and fouling the filter.
