Stoma leakage is a problem with a high probability of occurrence in the daily care of stoma patients. According to the survey, about 76% of people with an ostomy will have leakage of different degrees. When encountering the leakage of the ostomy bag during the nursing process, we must first find out the cause and then take corresponding measures. There are many reasons for ostomy bag leakage. However, most of the problems related to ostomy bag leakage can be solved by making small adjustments. This article summarizes some methods on how to reduce the occurrence of leakage. Let's take a look.

A: What causes stoma leakage?

1. Uneven skin around the stoma :

Physical changes: excessive obesity or emaciation. Both can cause uneven skin around the stoma. This is usually caused by scarring or skin folds, meaning the base plate is not flush with the skin. Output can leak into these tiny gaps and cause skin.

Body position changes: patients who have been out of bed, did not observe the skin around the stoma when sitting or standing and did not measure the actual size of the stoma, so the stoma bag was cut too large, or the skin around the stoma was not found.

Improper use of ostomy bags:

When the stoma diameter is > 4.5 cm, choose a one-piece large chassis ostomy bag to prevent leakage of the ostomy bag. If you use a two-piece ostomy bag, if you use excessive force when replacing it, it is easy to cause the sticking part to fall off and cause leakage.

Improper diet:

If the bag fills up unexpectedly, factors such as dietary changes, upset stomach, or even nerves and stress could be affecting your output.

Bag expansion :

It means that when the bag is filled with air, it will cause the bag to fall off by itself. It can be an embarrassing and stressful situation if you run into this situation without any backup supplies.

Unsuitable chassis products:

A properly fitted stoma tray is the best way to prevent skin complications. Choose ostomy products according to your personal living habits. The chassis should be safe, non-irritating, and provide the necessary barrier between your skin and the output of the ostomy. If the stoma is sunken, retracted, or the skin around the stoma is sunken and uneven, if you use an ostomy bag with a flat chassis, there will be a gap between the glue on the chassis and the skin, which will cause excrement to leak from the chassis, affecting the adhesion of the chassis, and even fall off.

Patients with poor stoma care skills：

Are affected by physiological factors, such as poor hand dexterity, weak eyesight, etc., or are not skilled in self-care of the stoma, so that the patient fails to clean the skin around the stoma Cleanliness, dry skin around the stoma, etc. leads to weak adhesion of the stoma chassis or uneven adhesion between the stoma chassis and the skin, etc., resulting in leakage.

B: Precautions:

filling:

 Use skin protective paste to fill the invaginated part of the skin, and cut 3 to 4 gaps on the stoma chassis. When pasting, the swollen abdominal skin will be flattened, and the stoma bag will be pasted by using the tension reduction effect. Sprinkle a small amount of skin protective powder on the skin around the stoma first, then attach the stoma chassis and then stick the stoma bag.

Body position changes:

If you need to change your body position frequently, you can use the ostomy belt to fix the ostomy bag to prevent leakage caused by displacement. You also need to measure the actual size of the stoma. Pay attention to observing the skin around the stoma, if you find that the surrounding skin is uneven, use a skin protective paste to deal with it in time.

Diet adjustment:

The most important thing to try over a period of time is to increase your fluid intake. If your stools are sticky, try changing your diet, especially your fluid intake, as this often affects the consistency of your stools. To increase your fiber intake, you might consider trying a bag with a filter, which releases air. It prolongs the life of your pouch, keeps it flat, and virtually eliminates odor.

Chassis product selection:

If the stoma is retracted or the skin around the stoma is depressed, it is recommended to use a one- or two-piece convex chassis, which can better collect excrement and reduce the occurrence of leakage with the ostomy belt. If the skin around the stoma is wrinkled, the wrinkled skin needs to be smoothed out when pasting the convex base plate.

Nursing knowledge learning:

can seek the help of an ostomy therapist to guide the use of daily ostomy supplies; you can also learn about ostomy care on this website.

For more information on Innomed® skin protective paste, refer to the previous articles. If you have customized needs, you are welcome to contact us; we will serve you wholeheartedly.

At Longterm Medical, we transform this data by innovating and developing products that make life easier for those who need loving care.

Editor: kiki Jia

Date: February 7, 2023