A colostomy is a surgical procedure in which a hole is made in the abdominal wall. In this surgery, part of the large intestine, or colon, is pulled through the abdomen, allowing feces to leave the body through this opening, called a stoma. Traumatic injuries or medical conditions affecting the colon can lead to the necessity of this type of surgery. There are several types of colostomy supplies available to make it easier to care for the patient after this type of surgery, including various types of pouches, caps, and adhesives.
One of the most important of the available colostomy supplies is the colostomy pouch. This pouch is responsible for collecting the waste material from the colon. These pouches are designed with a type of covering that prevents them from sticking to the body. Due to the variety of patient needs concerning colostomy supplies, there are several different types of colostomy pouches available.
An open-ended colostomy pouch is among the most popular colostomy supplies. This type of pouch has a drainage opening at the bottom and has a clamp-type closure. This pouch is preferred by patients who have had transverse or ascending colon colostomies because the drainage tends to be very loose and unpredictable.
A close-ended colostomy pouch is designed to be discarded after use. These colostomy supplies are most popular among those with sigmoid or descending colon colostomies. With these colostomies, the waste material is firm and does not have to be drained.
A one-piece colostomy pouch has the protective skin barrier attached to the pouch itself. This requires that each new pouch be reattached to the skin. Another option is the two-piece colostomy pouch. This type of pouch is separate from the adhesive, so it is not necessary to reattach each new pouch. This is particularly useful to those with sensitive skin.
Some colostomy pouches have the holes already cut so that the patient or caregiver does not have to cut the opening. Still others are designed so that the openings can be cut to fit the individual stoma. This type of pouch is particularly useful in the weeks immediately following surgery.
Other types of colostomy supplies include stoma covers and stoma caps. These coverings are used by some patients when the colostomy is not actively draining and are popular among those who have had sigmoid or descending colostomies. There are also films available that are designed to protect sensitive skin from damaging effects of the adhesives used to hold the pouch in place.
