Paste can also fill in small creases or dips in the skin around the stoma, preventing leaks or undermining of stool under the barrier. All pastes can be in direct contact with the stoma and will not cause harm.
Adapt paste will not harm your stoma or cause it to stop draining. As you press your skin barrier into place you may see the paste filling in the area around the stoma. Some people find the paste performs better if it is allowed to sit for a short time before it is applied to the skin.
Or, if you prefer, you can apply the paste directly to clean, dry skin around your stoma. Allow it to sit for a few minutes, while you prepare to apply the pouching system. Center the skin barrier opening on the stoma and gently press it against the skin for a minute.
Removing paste can be a challenge, but you can either use warm water and a cloth/gauze pad, or adhesive remover wipes. You don't have to worry about getting every last bit of it off your skin, and scrubbing too hard will irritate the skin near your stoma.
An ostomy barrier needs to be snug to the stoma and measured properly. If the barrier size is cut too big, the risk of stool or urine on the skin from the fit not being appropriate can create irritation or even sores.
Mucocutaneous separation, also called stoma dehiscence, is the pulling away of the stoma from the peristomal skin. The separation may involve only one or two sutures or the sutures around the entire stoma (see Figure 3).
Stomahesive® Paste
Use as a filler in uneven skin surfaces to help increase ostomy system wear-time and protect skin. Hydrocolloid-based protective skin barrier, filler or caulk to fill gaps between skin barrier and stoma. Use as filler in uneven skin surfaces to help increase ostomy system wear-time and protect skin.
Stoma paste is best removed using lukewarm water and a cloth, but you can use adhesive removal wipes or adhesive removal spray too. You don't need to get every bit of paste off your skin, so don't scrub too hard trying to do this, since you may damage or irritate the skin surrounding your stoma.
There is limited capacity of the paste to absorb moisture from the stool, allowing it to temporarily swell and improve the barrier. However, over time with the repeated exposure to stool, the paste will erode or wash away.
To treat affected skin around the stoma you can use Stomahesive powder under the ostomy appliance. The powder is available from a medical surgical supplier.
If there are gaps, the ostomy wafer can become dislodged completely or it can cause leakage. Ostomy paste, like many ostomy supplies, is meant to increase the wear time of your ostomy system while protecting your skin from the stoma output.
Many people enjoy leaving their skin uncovered for 15 to 30 minutes after taking their pouching system off. This is called a skin break. Taking a skin break can help with irritation or keep it from happening. You can decide if you want to take a skin break.
Skin irritation around your stoma is usually caused by leakage from your ostomy pouch and the output from your stoma getting underneath the adhesive and onto your skin.
Colostomies should typically protrude 1.5 to 2.5 cm and stomas of the small bowel should evert 2.5 to 3.5 cm. Stomas that do not evert at least 1 cm above the skin surface 48 hours after surgery have a 35% chance of causing problems.
The powder will stick to the open raw skin. No stoma powder should be left on the surrounding skin because it will not prevent irritation and it can interfere with the adhesion of your ostomy system. Once your skin heals and it is no longer moist, stop using the stoma powder, it is not meant to prevent skin irritation.
The skin around your stoma should look just like the skin on the other side of your abdomen, or anywhere else on your body. The skin around the stoma should be intact without irritation, rash, or redness. A properly fitting skin barrier protects the skin from being irritated or damaged by the stoma drainage.
Massages help to keep the adhesions from setting and can even minimize the formation of scar tissue down the line. If you're concerned whether you can get a massage with an ostomy, you don't need to be — getting a massage is a perfectly safe procedure.
A key aim of pouching is to protect peristomal skin. Skin can be protected with a pouch opening no larger than 1/8 inch greater than the stoma.
Acute Inhalation Effects: Prolonged or excessive inhalation may cause respiratory tract irritation. Acute Skin Effects: May cause irritation. Acute Ingestion Effects: Ingestion can cause gastrointestinal irritation, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Acute Eye Effects: May cause irritation.
You can bathe and shower as normal with your stoma and, unless you have been specifically advised otherwise, you can do so with the stoma bag on or off. It won't fall off in the water if you choose to keep it on and if you bathe with the stoma bag off, soap rinsing over the stoma isn't a problem.
Clean the pouch
Wipe the inside and outside of the tail with toilet paper. This helps prevent any odor. Check both sides of the pouch for tears or holes. If you find any, put on a new pouch.