On high of all the brand new feelings and routines that include the surgical procedure, getting a colostomy leaves you with an entire new set of selections to make about merchandise. One of many keys to efficiently managing your colostomy is discovering the correct merchandise that work along with your pores and skin, your stoma and your life-style. With a great system in place, a colostomy can prevent time and enhance your general well being, whereas a problematic setup can result in spiraling issues.

Mark Fuglevand grew to become intimately conscious of this when he acquired a colostomy. Now he’s utilizing his personal expertise and experiences shared with him by neighborhood members to design merchandise that empower colostomy customers. “My objective is to create easy options that may make dwelling with and managing a colostomy simpler,” says Fuglevand, a C6 quad and the founding father of adaptive options purveyor Abilitease.

Whereas there are in all probability extra ostomy-related merchandise and choices obtainable now than ever earlier than, Fuglevand observed that only a few of them incorporate quad-friendly design or had been developed with the insights that solely an lively wheelchair person can present. With two younger sons, a spouse, and an organization to develop, Fuglevand doesn’t have time to be fumbling with ostomy wafers and pouches. To that finish, he’s growing three 3D-printed colostomy-related instruments that he hopes will assist others and get extra customers to consider how you can enhance the method.

Product No. 1 – StomaSecure

Probably the most refined of Fuglevand’s units addresses two frequent ostomy wants: sound and safety. With a colostomy, the stoma will be loud and embarrassing, and the pores and skin across the opening can simply turn into irritated. Most wafer and pouch techniques supply little safety from abrasion or surprising fuel noises.

“Some individuals with ostomies have a troublesome time with the pores and skin round their stoma, and the world can turn into uncooked and delicate to the touch. Clothes, seatbelts and even binders utilized in wheelchair sports activities not solely rub in opposition to the stoma, however stop output from flowing into the pouch,” he says. “There are quite a few merchandise obtainable to guard a stoma, however they aren’t low-cost.” These merchandise deal with the issue, however not key issues like value and ease of use. “You both have to use Velcro on the highest of your ostomy pouch each time you alter it or put on an institutional-looking belt round your abdomen with a canopy,” he says. “They merely don’t make sense.”

Fuglevand’s answer is a detachable plastic cowl with a loop deal with, that slides behind the floating flange on a Hollister wafer and covers the stoma, creating a little bit protecting dome. The duvet has a curved opening on one finish to permit output to move. The duvet is open on either side so you’ll be able to flip it whereas it’s on the flange to match up with the orientation of the pouch. He’s at the moment lining the within of the quilt with felt or neoprene to assist mute the noise coming from the stoma, however hopes to discover a more practical damper.

Fuglevand notes that you just nonetheless have to watch the amount of output and fuel however believes his answer improves ease of use and luxury. “It’s good and simple. You actually can simply slide it on or off everytime you wish to use it — no straps, no additional crap,” he says. As soon as on, “You overlook that you’re carrying it as a result of there’s not a good strap holding it in place.”

Product No. 2 – PouchCollect

For all the advantages of the colostomy, there’s no getting round the truth that emptying or altering ostomy pouches is usually a pungent, disagreeable expertise. No matter whether or not you’re utilizing a one-piece drainable or two-piece closed-end pouch system, quad arms and restricted dexterity solely complicate the matter.
“Each time I take away a full pouch, and I’ve to carry it up with my tooth as a substitute of my arms throughout the change, there’s the odor of poop going into my face,” says Fuglevand.

To handle that scenario and assist decrease a few of the potential for making a large number, Fuglevand is engaged on a detachable kidney-shaped tray that attaches to a Hollister wafer the identical approach because the StomaSecure. The tray is designed to sit down comfortably on the abdomen and catch any potential unfastened stool when eradicating and emptying a pouch earlier than it oozes onto the dressing or your garments. The machine also can safe a disposal bag, making it simpler to maintain it in the correct place when you detach and eliminate your ostomy pouch. “My tenodesis works very well, however detaching a full pouch and emptying it into a bathroom or putting it in a disposable bag with out making a large number will be troublesome,” he says.

Product No. 3 – PouchAssist

Fuglevand’s closing design focuses on making it simpler to connect and take away pouches on a two-piece closed-end system. This consists of having the ability to “burp” fuel that accumulates within the ostomy pouch. Many pouches available on the market have filters that permit some fuel to move by, but it surely’s usually essential to barely separate the pouch from the wafer and permit fuel to exit. How simple that is is dependent upon your wafer, system setup and dexterity.

For individuals who can’t simply apply or separate the pouch from the wafer, Fuglevand has examined a plastic applicator that attaches to the facet belt tabs of the Hollister two-piece, closed-end pouch. With semicircle tracks that match snugly across the pouch flange, the applicator will assist the pouch line up with the flange on the wafer to safe the pouch. “This machine additionally permits you to flip the pouch to the specified place and separate a portion of the pouch to burp it when needed,” says Fuglevand.

Wanting Ahead

All the merchandise Fuglevand is engaged on are designed to work with the Hollister merchandise he depends on. He selected to make use of Hollister as a result of he was already acquainted with their catheters and he discovered that one in all their wafers labored effectively together with his stoma. “I like the pliability and the way fast I can pop a pouch on and off on my Hollister stuff — it’s very simple. And I’ve gotten so snug with it,” he says.

He’s open to working with different product strains to plan bespoke options. He desires to empower customers to be extra impartial, and hopes to encourage trade leaders like Hollister and Coloplast to combine extra person enter of their designs. He’s already specializing in what’s subsequent, together with merchandise that would make flying with an ostomy simpler. “It’s easy, actually,” he says. “I take into consideration what I’ve realized, what I want and what works, after which I am going to work.”