An enterostomy allows gas and stool (poop) to pass directly from the intestine into a collection device (called a stoma appliance or stoma pouching system) that your child wears on the abdomen.
The stoma appliance has two specific roles:
it collects the stool,
it protects the stoma and the skin around the stoma.
The stoma appliance has two parts:
a collection bag/pouch to hold the stool and gas,
a skin barrier (also called a wafer or skin protector) that sticks to the skin and around the stoma to protect this fragile skin.
These two parts of the stoma equipment may be joined together (one piece) or separated (two pieces) depending upon the model recommended by your child’s healthcare team.
If they are separate pieces, then the skin protector part has a raised portion (called a flange). The flange is used to secure the collection bag to the skin protector without putting pressure on the actual stoma. The collection bag clips onto the flange like a lid on a plastic container.
There are many different models and sizes of stoma appliances. Your child’s healthcare team will help select the type that will suit your child best. You may need to try a few different models out to find the one that works best for your child.
The collection bag may be either closed or drainable.
The closed bags do not have an opening. They should be discarded when they are approximately one third filled; this type of bag is rarely used in children.
The drainable bags allow for the contents to be removed from an opening in the bottom and then to be resealed shut to use again. The bag should be emptied when it is one third full. The bag stays attached to the flange and the skin protector; it does not need to be removed to empty the bag. The drainable bags close at the bottom using a clasp which can be either part of the bag or a separate piece.
Either type of collection bag (closed or drainable) can be used with a internal disposable bag (called a pouch liner), which is often appealing to teenagers who have enterostomies because it is easy to empty and easily replaced with a new one. The pouch liner is removed when it is one third full and the contents can be flushed down a toilet.
The collection bags can be either transparent (clear) or opaque (can’t see through them). Some models have a filter that removes air without releasing odours.
The stoma appliance is changed every 3 to 7 days but the frequency will vary according to the specific needs of your child. Speak with your enterostomal therapy nurse or child’s healthcare team to know how often your child’s appliance should be changed.
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