Ostomy and Wound Care

Ostomy

Thousands of patients are released from hospitals each year with wounds or ulcers that have not fully healed and require special attention. At the same time, an estimated 450,000 Americans are living with an ostomy, and some 120,000 new surgeries are performed each year. Wound care and ostomy care each requires its own unique approach and set of products. It's important to work closely with your healthcare provider to learn how to care for your wound or ostomy.

An ostomy is a surgically created opening (also called a "stoma") allowing the discharge of wastes. There are three kinds of ostomies:

Ileostomy - An opening into the small intestine.

Colostomy - An opening into the colon.

Urosotmy - A surgically created opening in the abdomen that allows urine to pass directly out of the body.


Ostomy Pouching Systems

Colostomy and Ileostomy Pouches - Available as drainable (open-ended) with closing devices, which can be emptied while worn; or closed-end at the bottom and disposable after one use.

Urostomy Pouches - Have a tap or valve at the bottom of the pouch to drain the urine.

Two-Piece Systems - The pouch and the "flange," or faceplate that connects the pouch to the abdomen (also called a "wafer"), come as separate pieces.

One-Piece Systems - Pouch and flange are attached.

Irrigation Systems - Specific to colostomies, this process is sometimes used to clean stool directly out of the colon, requiring an irrigation bag with a connecting tube (catheter), a stoma cone, and an irrigation sleeve.


Wound Care Products

There are many different kinds of wound care products, ranging from simple bandages to special gels and dressings for more advanced wounds and ulcers. Some major categories include:

Absorptive Dressings - Multilayer dressings that absorb fluids.

Alginates - Form a gel that maintains a moist environment for healing.

Films - Transparent films with adhesive on one side.

Cleansers - Products for cleaning skin and removing bacteria from wounds.

Foam Dressings - Can absorb a range of fluid amounts and ward off germs and dirt, creating a moist environment for healing.

Gauze - Cotton fabric, available in many different formats, that can be wrapped or packed into wounds to protect or absorb liquid.

Hydrocolloids - Dressings that contain moisture absorbing particles in an adhesive matrix.

Scar Therapy - Gel sheets treated with silicone or glycerine to protect skin tissue and prevent scarring.

Tapes - Used to adhere dressing to skin.


Caring for a Wound

Special care must always be taken when caring for a wound:

1. Before dressing a wound, clean it thoroughly with sponges and cleansing solution.
2. Pat the wound dry with a different, clean sponge.
3. When the wound is clean and dry, apply the dressings appropriate to the severity of the wound.
4. When removing old dressings, always remove one layer at a time, not all at once.