A newly ostomized person may feel stressed about the variety of things he or she will need from this point on. It's not just knowing what types of ostomy bags are available or how to care for your stoma. There is a whole world of accessories that will make your day-to-day life easier. In this article we will show you some of them and explain how they work.
What do I want accessories for?
Some diseases or injuries can block the flow and evacuation of stool. This may be due to cancer, trauma, inflammatory diseases or even congenital defects. When a part of the bowel needs to heal, a surgery called an ostomy is performed.
After an ostomy what remains is a stoma, which is the end of the intestine that comes out of the abdomen. The stoma becomes the new channel through which waste is evacuated from the body into a colostomy bag.
In addition to the bag, the user can find accessories that improve the performance of his collection system, increase the time he can use his skin barrier, prevent leaks, avoid bad odors and make draining the bag easier.
Ostomy bag belts or belts for colostomy bags
Some people wear a belt or girdle. This is worn around the abdomen and helps support the ostomy bag. It should be noted that the pouch, as long as it is placed correctly, is fully capable of staying in place without additional help.
However, there are belts that provide greater confidence to the user in the psychological aspect, and some are specially made for water sports. If you decide to use it, it is important to remember that it should lie flat on the abdomen and make sure it is at the level of the stoma. It should be just enough to be able to place a finger between the belt and the abdomen with ease.
Ostomy bag covers
These are covers, usually made of fabric, that are placed over the bag. They can reduce the discomfort associated with the possibility of someone seeing the bag, or cover it completely when it is a transparent bag. They can also reduce the heat and moisture generated when the bag comes in contact with the skin.
These covers are available in many colors and patterns, giving the user the ability to customize their experience as an ostomate and, again, be a psychological support in regaining autonomy.
Barrier rings
These accessories are designed to care for the peristomal skin; that is, the skin surrounding the stoma. Their function is to "fill in" the skin that has an irregular texture, "evening it out" so that the skin barrier is optimally adjusted to prevent debris from leaking out of the stoma where it should not.
Their design is flexible, so they can be trimmed, stretched or stacked to ensure the best possible fit. They are placed on the adhesive side of the skin barrier, but can also be placed directly on the skin once it is clean and completely dry.
Convex discs
Stomas can be as different as there are ostomates, so there are times when the stoma does not protrude so much from the abdomen. There are users in whom this situation is not a sign of alarm, it is simply the shape of their stoma and no further intervention is necessary.
For these cases, convex discs are very useful, because instead of being flat, they have a slight edge that presses the tissue and "pulls out" the stoma so that it is better positioned inside the ostomy bag. It is important to note that they are only recommended for people whose stoma protrudes less than 3 cm from the skin.
Activated carbon filters
Its function is to remove gases from the ostomy bag and it is also responsible for removing odors. There are internal and external filters, but all are located at the top of the pouch so that they are not covered by debris.
The psychology of accessories
Although they clearly fulfill a physiological function, activated carbon filters also help the user psychologically by helping him to forget about his bag for a while. It lightens the mental load by not having to think about whether the bag has already made a noise, whether it has already been heard, whether it has already been seen, whether it will be moving and other worries.
