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How To Find Your Best Ostomy Appliance Set Up
Coming out of ostomy surgery can be overwhelming and unfamiliar. As a new ostomate you are sent home with some appliances and accessories to try but there are so many options out there you may not know about. There are multiple ostomy bag manufacturers that vary in all different styles and options of appliances and accessories. You have the option to sample what you would like and choose what is best for your body. We will review the options you have and how to order some of these as samples right after your ostomy surgery.
1. Piece Bag Vs 2 Piece Bag
Ostomy bags or pouches come in two options: one piece and two piece.
A one piece bag has the barrier attached to the bag and once placed on your body, it will stay there until you change it again.
A two piece appliance has two pieces: the barrier/wafer and the bag. After placing the barrier on your skin, the bag will click or stick onto the barrier. You have the option of taking the bag off to replace it or rotating it to empty it into the toilet.
Once it’s time to change the bag, you will take both the barrier and bag off and replace it with a fresh appliance.
2.Closed Pouch Vs Drainable Pouch
There are two types of pouches to choose from that cater to how you would like to empty the pouch. Closed pouches are commonly used by colostomates in a two piece appliance system. When the bag is full and time to empty, you will remove the pouch from the barrier and replace it with a new one.
Drainable pouches give you the opportunity to empty the pouch throughout the day into the toilet and can be closed up until your next empty. These are commonly used for ileostomy and urostomy patients.
3.Convex Barrier Vs flat Barrier
The two types of barrier options are flat and convex. Flat wafers are simply flat and used more commonly for protruding stomas.
Convex wafers have a curved base and push the skin down so the stoma protrudes out and the output can make it into the bag.
4.Barrier Rings Vs Paste
Both barrier rings and paste are used directly on the skin underneath the barrier to fill in any gaps or dips in the skin to prevent leakage. The ring is placed snug around the stoma and comes in different sizes. The paste comes in a tube and is molded to fill in specific areas you have dips or gaps
5.Odor Eliminator Drops Vs. Absorbent packets
There are two options to help crush odor with an ostomy. There are odor eliminator drops that most ostomy bag manufacturers carry that are used by placing a few drops into your pouch after emptying in.
The absorbent packets are used in a similar way! Once the bag is emptied, place the packet into the bag and close it up. This will help not only crush the odor, but turn liquidy output into a thicker consistency.
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