When you have got an ostomy, you are going to need to figure out what works best for you. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so you have got to research a bit to know the right supplies that can be helpful for you.
Every person’s stoma is different. It can be a colostomy, ileostomy, or urostomy. The location of your stoma in a portion of the bowel may also be different from other individuals. So you will need to discuss with your ostomy care nurse which ostomy appliance works better for you.
You may also have to analyze your requirements during different circumstances. For instance, you may need a different ostomy pouch while spending time in the pool compared to what you need during working hours. The ostomy appliance required during sports and water activities needs to have a better capability to adhere to the peristomal skin as compared to other ostomy pouches.
First, you are going to need to measure your stoma regularly. You may have to perform these measurements twice every week during the first few weeks after surgery.
Choosing the right skin barrier
Stomas can vary in size and shape. They may protrude a little from the skin, or they may be flat. They can be round or oval. Based on these variations, you can choose from different types of skin barriers to make sure what you pick fits your requirements. The primary job of a skin barrier is to keep the ostomy pouch attached with your stoma while protecting the peristomal skin from leakages and resulting irritation.
Convex skin barrier
If you have a flush or retracted stoma, you won’t probably benefit from a conventional skin barrier. You will need to apply a bit of pressure around to stoma to make it protrude a little, enough for the skin barrier to reach the skin near the base of the stoma. A convex skin barrier has a curved faceplate, with the curved side going against the skin.
Moldable
A moldable skin barrier allows you to have an accurate-sized opening around the stoma. Before wearing this flange over the stoma, you will need to roll the edges of the skin barrier up and backward to enlarge the opening. After placing it over the peristomal skin, you will need to unroll the edge. The edges will form a collar around the stoma, ensuring a leak-proof seal. You will not have to cut the skin barrier shape or enlarge its opening.
Cut-to-fit skin barrier
A cut-to-fit skin barrier comes with markings that allow you to create an opening of the size and shape of your stoma. You are going to need fine motor skills to prepare this skin barrier. You may also use a flange cutter to make the process convenient.
Pre-cut skin barrier
Pre-cut ostomy barriers are available in different sizes to meet different requirements. They are ideal for regular-shaped stomas. If you have a regular-shaped stoma, you can get an ostomy barrier right after getting it out of the box.
Choosing the right ostomy pouch
There is a wide range of ostomy pouches you can buy from, but we will discuss only a few most common types.
Closed-end pouch
This pouch comes with a sealed bottom, which means that once it is full, you are going to need to throw it away. This bag is ideal for situations when you do not have time to go through an entire procedure of emptying a pouch, cleaning its opening, and roll its end to make it sealable through a clip.
Drainable ostomy pouch
You can use a drainable ostomy pouch when you need to drain the waste materials out multiple times a day. You are going to need to use this bag if your stoma produces liquid and frequent stools.
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