If you recently had surgery and now require using an ostomy bag, the world out there is seriously confusing and complicated. The intent of this article is to help you find your way out of the confusion and to get you to a place where your concerns are lessened and your medical needs handled well.
When your medical situation changes drastically and you need to use an ostomy bag, you likely have had major and often lifesaving surgery. An ostomy is a surgical hole that allows stool, urine, or both, to leave your body through your abdomen. This will likely leave you something called a stoma. A stoma is the piece of your ureter, small or large bowel that sticks out through your skin. The stoma needs to be connected to an outside-the-body pouch for drainage. The result of this procedure is that the patient will need an ostomy bag to collect the waste excreted from the body. The bag will collect this urinary or digestive waste.
Ostomy bags collect this waste from the stoma and it gets deposited right into the bag with no effort from the patient. These bags are worn outside the patient’s body and can be hidden well by every day clothes.
The important question then is, which bag among the many available, is the right one for you? The answer to this question varies and depends on both personal preference and the extent of your surgery.
The terms generally used to call these various bags are technical and confusing. An attempt to clarify the names of the bags and what they do follows, for your convenience and edification.
Flat Ostomy Bags
These bags are flat in nature. They have an adhesive backing which helps to keep the ostomy bag in a secure position. For the patient, this helps to hold the bag more discreetly because the bag is held tight to the actual body.
Convex Ostomy Bags
These bags may stick further out from the patient’s body but they help the patient adjust to various deformities of the body. These may include skin wrinkles, surgical scars and the variety of shapes of the stoma of each patient.
Drainable Ostomy Bags
A bag with a drain lets you empty all that is inside of the bag and then reuse it. For patients who lead a more active life, this type of ostomy bag has more accessibility.
Pre-Cut Ostomy Bags
These bags have openings that are pre-made to one size. They are not measured to your specific size of your particular and unique stoma. This kind of bag may work for some but they put the patients at risk for leaks.
Cut-to-Fit Ostomy Bags
In order to significantly reduce leakage, many patients prefer a cut-to-fit ostomy bag. This can be a safer option to avoid leakage. This bag is specifically unique to the patient and the size and shape of the stoma. It is also a more comfortably fitting bag, due to its custom creation. Another benefit is that this bag significantly reduces skin irritation.
Close-End Ostomy Bags
These bags are made for a one-time only use and get thrown away after use. Close end bags need to be carefully discarded so that no leakage or infection occurs.
Whichever bag you use, you should consult a medical professional regarding your own case.
Stoma Care Corner 