Ostomy system

Last updated

Ostomy system
Ileostomy 2016-09-09 4158.jpg
Ostomy pouching
Specialty Gastroenterology

An ostomy pouching system [1] is a prosthetic medical device that provides a means for the collection of waste from a surgically diverted biological system (colon, ileum, bladder) and the creation of a stoma. Pouching systems are most commonly associated with colostomies, ileostomies, and urostomies. [2]

Contents

Pouching systems usually consist of a collection pouch, a barrier on the skin, and connect with the stoma itself, which is the part of the body that has been diverted to the skin. The system may be a one-piece system consisting only of a bag or, in some instances involve a device placed on the skin with a collection pouch that is attached mechanically or with an adhesive in an airtight seal, known as a two-piece system.

The system used varies between individuals and is often based on the medical reason, personal preference and lifestyle.

Uses

Ostomy pouching systems collect waste that is output from a stoma. The pouching system allows the stoma to drain into a sealed collection pouch, while protecting the surrounding skin from contamination. [3] They are used to maintain independence, so that a wearer can continue to lead an active lifestyle that can include all forms of sports and recreation.[ citation needed ]

Surface barriers

Urostoma and wafer/baseplate Urostoma and flange.jpg
Urostoma and wafer/baseplate

Ostomy barriers sit on the skin and separate the ostomy pouch from the internal conduit. They are not always present. These barriers, also called flanges, wafers, or baseplates are manufactured using pectin or similar organic material and are available in a wide variety of sizes to accommodate a person's particular anatomy.

The internal opening must be the correct size to accommodate the individual's stoma while protecting the skin from contact with waste. The methods for sizing this opening vary depending on the type of wafer/baseplate; some pre-cut sizes are available, some users customize the opening using scissors. Manufacturers have recently[ when? ] introduced moldable wafers that can be shaped by hand without the need for scissors. [2]

Skin adhesion for modern wafers/baseplates/flanges are optimized on all the five parameters required in an adhesive:

In addition, barriers with adhesive border can provide additional security that the system stays in place. Using a barrier film spray before applying a new flange will improve adhesion, soothe irritated skin and protect the skin from irritation.

A barrier may last between one and many days before it needs to be replaced; this is highly dependent on the individual's lifestyle, ostomy type, and anatomy.

Pouches

A typical ostomy pouch, in this case a closed-end or "disposable". Note the flange ring, which uses a "Tupperware" type of seal OstomyPouch.jpg
A typical ostomy pouch, in this case a closed-end or "disposable". Note the flange ring, which uses a "Tupperware" type of seal
One-piece (open-end) bags Ileostomy bag.jpg
One-piece (open-end) bags

The method of attachment to the barrier varies between manufactures and includes permanent (one-piece), press-on/click ("Tupperware" type), turning locking rings and "sticky" adhesive mounts. The two-piece arrangement allows pouches to be exchanged without removing the wafer; for example, some people prefer to temporarily switch to a "mini-pouch" for swimming, intimate and other short-term activities. Mini-pouches are suitable for minimum usage only.

Pouches can be divided into two basic types: open-end (drainable) and closed-end (disposable).

The use of open-end vs. closed-end pouches is dependent on the frequency in which an individual needs to empty the contents, as well as economics. [3]

Gas is created during digestion, and an airtight pouch will collect this and inflate. To prevent this some pouches are available with special charcoal filtered vents that will allow the gas to escape, and prevent ballooning at night. Some odor can be expelled through the charcoal filter especially if sufficient deodorant is not used in the pouch.

Pouch covers are helpful to disguise the plastic pouch when it is exposed when reaching or other physical activity. These are usually made of cloth and can be decorative or plain to blend in with clothing. Various sources stock sizes for most manufacturers pouches. There are flexible elastic pouch belts available for extreme physical activity but some of these require the pouch to be worn sideways so it does not fill properly and the tight fit causes pancaking of the effluent.

Routine care

People with colostomies must wear an ostomy pouching system to collect intestinal waste. Ordinarily the pouch must be emptied or changed a couple of times a day depending on the frequency of activity; in general the further from the anus (i.e., the further 'up' the intestinal tract) the ostomy is located the greater the output and more frequent the need to empty or change the pouch. [4]

People with colostomies who have ostomies of the sigmoid colon or descending colon may have the option of irrigation, which allows for the person to not wear a pouch, but rather just a gauze cap over the stoma, and to schedule irrigation for times that are convenient. [5] To irrigate, a catheter is placed inside the stoma, and flushed with water, which allows the feces to come out of the body into an irrigation sleeve. [6] Most colostomates irrigate once a day or every other day, though this depends on the person, their food intake, and their health.

Impact

Ostomy systems often take some time for a person to adjust to, including requiring time to learn how to use them and change the pouch, as well as psychologically adjust. [7] The time taken to adjust may last for more than a year. [7]

Because of embarrassment or stigma associated with an ostomy system, a person who has an ostomy system can experience social isolation, depression, and change in sexual function as well as physical complications such as weight change. In various online ostomy groups and ostomy societies, ostomates share their experiences and help each other. One of the largest is MeetAnOstoMate, a community where people with similar experiences share information, ask questions, and receive support. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First aid kit</span> Collection of supplies and equipment that is used to give medical treatment

A first aid kit or medical kit is a collection of supplies and equipment used to give immediate medical treatment, primarily to treat injuries and other mild or moderate medical conditions. There is a wide variation in the contents of first aid kits based on the knowledge and experience of those putting it together, the differing first aid requirements of the area where it may be used, and variations in legislation or regulation in a given area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colostomy</span> Surgical procedure in which a hole is cut into the colon and stoma is placed

A colostomy is an opening (stoma) in the large intestine (colon), or the surgical procedure that creates one. The opening is formed by drawing the healthy end of the colon through an incision in the anterior abdominal wall and suturing it into place. This opening, often in conjunction with an attached ostomy system, provides an alternative channel for feces to leave the body. Thus if the natural anus is unavailable for that function, an artificial anus takes over. It may be reversible or irreversible, depending on the circumstances.

In anatomy, a stoma is any opening in the body. For example, a mouth, a nose, and an anus are natural stomata. Any hollow organ can be manipulated into an artificial stoma as necessary. This includes the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, ileum, colon, pleural cavity, ureters, urinary bladder, and renal pelvis. Such a stoma may be permanent or temporary.

An abdomino perineal resection, formally known as abdominoperineal resection of the rectum and abdominoperineal excision of the rectum is a surgery for rectal cancer or anal cancer. It is frequently abbreviated as AP resection, APR and APER.

Pouch may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ileostomy</span> Surgical procedure

Ileostomy is a stoma constructed by bringing the end or loop of small intestine out onto the surface of the skin, or the surgical procedure which creates this opening. Intestinal waste passes out of the ileostomy and is collected in an external ostomy system which is placed next to the opening. Ileostomies are usually sited above the groin on the right hand side of the abdomen.

In medicine, the ileal pouch–anal anastomosis (IPAA), also known as restorative proctocolectomy (RPC), ileal-anal reservoir (IAR), an ileo-anal pouch, ileal-anal pullthrough, or sometimes referred to as a J-pouch, S-pouch, W-pouch, or a pelvic pouch, is an anastomosis of a reservoir pouch made from ileum to the anus, bypassing the former site of the colon in cases where the colon and rectum have been removed. The pouch retains and restores functionality of the anus, with stools passed under voluntary control of the person, preventing fecal incontinence and serving as an alternative to a total proctocolectomy with ileostomy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Label</span> Material affixed to a container or article with printed information

A label is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed directly on a container or article can also be considered labelling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Imperforate anus</span> Birth defect of malformed rectum

An imperforate anus or anorectal malformations (ARMs) are birth defects in which the rectum is malformed. ARMs are a spectrum of different congenital anomalies which vary from fairly minor lesions to complex anomalies. The cause of ARMs is unknown; the genetic basis of these anomalies is very complex because of their anatomical variability. In 8% of patients, genetic factors are clearly associated with ARMs. Anorectal malformation in Currarino syndrome represents the only association for which the gene HLXB9 has been identified.

An Indiana pouch is a surgically-created urinary diversion used to create a way for the body to store and eliminate urine for patients who have had their urinary bladders removed as a result of bladder cancer, pelvic exenteration, bladder exstrophy or who are not continent due to a congenital, neurogenic bladder. This particular urinary diversion results in a continent reservoir that the patient must catheterize to empty urine. This concept and technique was developed by Drs. Mike Mitchell, Randall Rowland, and Richard Bihrle at Indiana University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melanosis coli</span> Medical condition

Melanosis coli, also pseudomelanosis coli, is a disorder of pigmentation of the wall of the colon, often identified at the time of colonoscopy. It is benign and may have no significant correlation with disease. The brown pigment is lipofuscin in macrophages, not melanin. It is most commonly associated with the use of certain laxatives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bowel resection</span> Surgical procedure in which a part of an intestine is removed

A bowel resection or enterectomy is a surgical procedure in which a part of an intestine (bowel) is removed, from either the small intestine or large intestine. Often the word enterectomy is reserved for the sense of small bowel resection, in distinction from colectomy, which covers the sense of large bowel resection. Bowel resection may be performed to treat gastrointestinal cancer, bowel ischemia, necrosis, or obstruction due to scar tissue, volvulus, and hernias. Some patients require ileostomy or colostomy after this procedure as alternative means of excretion. Complications of the procedure may include anastomotic leak or dehiscence, hernias, or adhesions causing partial or complete bowel obstruction. Depending on which part and how much of the intestines are removed, there may be digestive and metabolic challenges afterward, such as short bowel syndrome.

Total mesorectal excision (TME) is a standard surgical technique for treatment of rectal cancer, first described in 1982 by Professor Bill Heald at the UK's Basingstoke District Hospital. It is a precise dissection of the mesorectal envelope comprising rectum containing the tumour together with all the surrounding fatty tissue and the sheet of tissue that contains lymph nodes and blood vessels. Dissection is along the avascular alveolar plane between the presacral and mesorectal fascia, described as holy plane. Dissection along this plane facilitates a straightforward dissection and preserves the sacral vessels and hypogastric nerves and is a sphincter-sparing resection and decreases permanent stoma rates. It is possible to rejoin the two ends of the colon; however, most patients require a temporary ileostomy pouch to bypass the colon, allowing it to heal with less risk of infection, perforation or leakage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ureterostomy</span>

A ureterostomy is the creation of a stoma for a ureter or kidney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heat and moisture exchanger after laryngectomy</span>

Heat and moisture exchangers (HME) are used after laryngectomy to help reduce breathing restrictions and compensate nasal functions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bag</span> Flexible container

A bag is a common tool in the form of a non-rigid container, typically made of cloth, leather, paper, or plastic. The use of bags predates recorded history, with the earliest bags being lengths of animal skin, cotton, or woven plant fibers, folded up at the edges and secured in that shape with strings of the same material. Bags can be used to carry items such as personal belongings, groceries, and other objects. They comes in various shapes and sizes, often equipped with handles or straps for easier carrying.

In fecal incontinence (FI), surgery may be carried out if conservative measures alone are not sufficient to control symptoms. There are many surgical options described for FI, and they can be considered in 4 general groups.

Nils G. Kock was a professor of surgery who taught and practiced at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. Kock was noted for his research, experimentation, and colorectal surgical techniques. These led to his breakthrough development of the Kock pouch, used for people who require excretory stomas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elise Sørensen</span> Danish nurse and inventor of the colostomy bag

Elise Sørensen was a Danish nurse and the inventor of the colostomy bag.

Adhesive bonding is a joining technique used in the manufacture and repair of a wide range of products. Along with welding and soldering, adhesive bonding is one of the basic joining processes. In this technique, components are bonded together using adhesives. The broad range of types of adhesives available allows numerous materials to be bonded together in products as diverse as vehicles, mobile phones, personal care products, buildings, computers and medical devices.

References

  1. Stedman's Medical Dictionary, Houghton Mifflin Company, 2002, colostomy bag n. A receptacle worn over the stoma to collect feces following a colostomy.
  2. 1 2 "Ostomy Information". United Ostomy Associations of America. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  3. 1 2 Lueder, Wendy. "Ostomates' Choices". Broward Ostomy Association. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  4. "Colostomy irrigation: Colostomy Guide" (PDF). United Ostomy Associations of America. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 June 2012. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  5. Rooney, Debra. "Colostomy irrigation: A personal account managing colostomy" (PDF). Ostomy. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  6. Wax, Arnold. "What is colostomy irrigation?". WebMed. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 "Stomas: What is a Stoma? Psychological Impacts | Ausmed". www.ausmed.com. AusMed. 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2020.