Appliance Wear-Times: Factors To Consider

Individuals with ostomies generally think of wearing their ostomy bags for seven days. However, there is no standard set for wear-time for ostomy appliances. There are several factors to consider when determining the wear-time.

  

Stoma type

The consistency and frequency of your stomal output depend on the type of stoma you have. For instance, ileostomies tend to produce a liquid or pasty stool, and they function 5-6 times a day. Colostomies produce thicker stools, and they function fewer times a day. Stool with liquid consistency has more digestive enzymes, which are corrosive enough to contribute to melt-out of the barrier. A skin barrier no longer adheres to the skin after melting out, resulting in skin irritation. You are going to have to change your ostomy pouching system just before that melt-out.

Stoma age

How often you should change your ostomy pouch also depends on the age of your stoma. If your stoma is a newly constructed one, it will have swelling, and it will cause a lot of moisture in the skin around it. The swelling subsides in six weeks. During this time, the stoma changes its shape more frequently. After this duration, the stoma settles down to a permanent shape and size. During these six weeks, your ET will suggest you change your pouch twice a week every week.

Characteristics of stool

Generally, the more liquefied the stool is, the more frequently you are going to have to change your pouch. The stool output from an ileostomy can be more frequent. You may have to empty your pouch several times a day. With a colostomy, the stool tends to be more firm and less frequent. However, there are certain health conditions and treatments that can permanently change the characteristics of stool passing through a colostomy. Again, it all comes down to the tendency of the stool to cause melt-out of the skin barrier. The sooner the skin barrier melts out, the sooner you will need to replace it.

Stoma construction

A well-construction stoma is the one that protrudes appropriately, and the skin around it is plain enough to allow proper adherence to the skin barrier. In some cases, the stoma might not have enough protrusion, or the skin around it has creases. With these issues, it becomes a challenge to apply the ostomy pouch. It can reduce the wear-time significantly.

 

Type of product

The type of product you use also has a significant impact on the pouch’s wear time. The skin barrier of the pouch you purchase will either be regular wear or extended wear. Regular wear skin barriers do not offer much resistance to melt-outs, and they have less adhesion on their baseplate. These skin barriers are best for users who have colostomies that produce more formed stool. Depending on the protraction of the stoma and the state of peristomal skin, these skin barriers can last up to seven days.

Extended wear skin barriers, on the other hand, offer more resistance to melt-outs, and they use a significantly strong adhesive on their baseplate. These barriers are ideal for people with ileostomies that produce unformed stool that contains a significant amount of corrosive digestive enzymes.