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How Beneficial Are The Convex Ostomy Wafers

Ostomy surgery results in an opening in the abdominal wall to make way for a surgically created diversion in the excretory pathway to evacuate bodily waste. That opening is known as the stoma. The bodily waste expelled by an #ostomy through the stoma is commonly referred to as the stomal output. A healthy stoma is deep red, and it looks much like the inside of the mouth. It protrudes from the abdominal skin by a few centimeters. When you wear an ostomy bag, the skin barrier of the bag fits over the stoma by letting it pass through a hole in the flange. The skin barrier sticks with the skin using an adhesive.

 

The recessed stoma

A healthy stoma is a bit protruded to allow the skin barrier to come in contact with the entire peristomal surface. However, a stoma might recess or retract to seem like dipping into the abdominal skin. That’s where it becomes impossible for conventional skin barriers to make a proper seal with the peristomal skin. If you try to wear an ostomy bag, the recessed stoma will not reach the inside of the ostomy bag. That can cause the stomal output to seep under the skin barrier and leak through the outside edges. The ostomy pouch will not be able to hold the skin for long. The contact of stomal output will result in irritation in the #peristomal skin.

 

Convex wafer

If you have a recessed #stoma and you are not willing to go for another surgical process for stoma repositioning, you can consider using an ostomy pouch with the convex wafer. The convex wafer comes with an inward curve towards the stoma. This curve pushes the peristomal skin, allowing the stoma to reach the inside of the ostomy bag. The secure fit around the stoma prevents the stomal output from reaching under the skin barrier or wafer.

 

A convex wafer can be a part of a one-piece or two-piece ostomy pouch. It can also be used with both the closed and drainable ostomy bags.

 

It would be worth mentioning here that if you do not face the issue of the recessed stoma or uneven peristomal skin, you should not use a convex wafer without a piece of advice from your doctor. Convexity can result in pressure on the peristomal skin, increasing the possibility of pressure ulcers. Moreover, it can be a challenge to choose a convex wafer with the required convexity. A discussion with your doctor can be a source of knowledge for you in this regard. You will be able to know whether or not a convex wafer is a right option for you.

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Uploaded on July 2, 2020