About

The primary job of an ostomy pouch is to collect waste from an ileostomy or colostomy while ensuring proper safety of the peristomal skin. A typical ostomy bag consists of an odor-proof bag and a skin barrier with adhesive on the side that has to go against the peristomal skin. If it is a drainable pouch, it will have a tail in the bottom that allows the removal of waste. If it is a closed ostomy pouch, it will have a round seal in the bottom. You are going to have to remove this bag entirely when it’s full.

How does a pouching system work?

First, you are going to have to create an opening in the skin barrier of the ostomy pouching system. This opening will need to match the size and shape of your stoma. Applying the skin barrier should result in the adhesive side of the flange to make a seal with the skin around the stoma. It is most crucial to make sure that no part of your peristomal skin is exposed to the inner side of the pouch.

Difference between one-piece and two-piece ostomy pouch

There are two principal types of ostomy pouches. One is the one-piece ostomy pouch, and the other is the two-piece ostomy pouch. Each of these pouching systems fulfills a different set of requirements.

• A one-piece ostomy pouch comes with a bag and a skin barrier integrated as one unit. It means that when you need to change the pouch, you are going to have to change the entire pouching system.
• A two-piece ostomy pouch consists of the bag and the skin barrier as two connectible entities. You can combine these two parts to make a complete pouching system. The most significant benefit of a two-piece ostomy pouch is that it allows you to remove the bag without taking the skin barrier off from the skin.

Choosing an ostomy pouch

It is crucial to consider several factors when choosing an ostomy pouch. Those actors may include the type of stoma, the shape of your body, stoma construction, concealment requirements, and your daily activities.

No matter what type of ostomy pouch you select, make sure that it meets your comfort requirements at the maximum scale. Your ostomy pouch should form a tighter seal with your peristomal skin to avoid the leakage of your stomal output under the skin barrier. Most importantly, you have to make sure that the ostomy pouch you use is friendly to your peristomal skin.