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 suitable merchandise that work along with your pores and skin, your stoma and your way of life. With a very good 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 turned intimately conscious of this when he bought a colostomy. Now he’s utilizing his personal expertise and experiences shared with him by group members to design merchandise that empower colostomy customers. “My objective is to create easy options that may make residing with and managing a colostomy simpler,” says Fuglevand, a C6 quad and the founding father of adaptive options purveyor Abilitease.

Whereas there are most likely extra ostomy-related merchandise and choices accessible now than ever earlier than, Fuglevand seen that only a few of them incorporate quad-friendly design or have been developed with the insights that solely an energetic 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

Essentially the most refined of Fuglevand’s units addresses two widespread ostomy wants: sound and safety. With a colostomy, the stoma could be loud and embarrassing, and the pores and skin across the opening can simply grow to be irritated. Most wafer and pouch methods provide little safety from abrasion or surprising gasoline noises.

“Some folks with ostomies have a tough time with the pores and skin round their stoma, and the realm can grow to be uncooked and delicate to the touch. Clothes, seatbelts and even binders utilized in wheelchair sports activities not solely rub towards the stoma, however forestall output from flowing into the pouch,” he says. “There are quite a few merchandise accessible 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 slightly protecting dome. The duvet has a curved opening on one finish to permit output to circulate. The duvet is open on each side so you possibly can flip it whereas it’s on the flange to match up with the orientation of the pouch. He’s presently lining the within of the quilt with felt or neoprene to assist mute the noise coming from the stoma, however hopes to discover a simpler damper.

Fuglevand notes that you simply nonetheless have to watch the amount of output and gasoline however believes his answer improves ease of use and luxury. “It’s good and straightforward. You actually can simply slide it on or off everytime you need to use it — no straps, no further crap,” he says. As soon as on, “You overlook that you’re sporting it as a result of there’s not a decent 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 smelly, 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 enamel as an alternative of my arms through the change, there’s the odor of poop going into my face,” says Fuglevand.

To handle that state of affairs and assist decrease among the potential for making a multitude, Fuglevand is engaged on a detachable kidney-shaped tray that attaches to a Hollister wafer the identical method because the StomaSecure. The tray is designed to sit down comfortably on the abdomen and catch any potential free stool when eradicating and emptying a pouch earlier than it oozes onto the dressing or your garments. The system may safe a disposal bag, making it simpler to maintain it in the suitable place whilst you detach and eliminate your ostomy pouch. “My tenodesis works very well, however detaching a full pouch and emptying it into a rest room or inserting it in a disposable bag with out making a multitude could be tough,” 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” gasoline that accumulates within the ostomy pouch. Many pouches in the marketplace have filters that permit some gasoline to move by means of, nevertheless it’s typically essential to barely separate the pouch from the wafer and permit gasoline to exit. How straightforward that is relies on 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 system additionally permits you to flip the pouch to the specified place and separate a portion of the pouch to burp it when mandatory,” says Fuglevand.

Trying Ahead

The entire 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 conversant in their catheters and he discovered that one in every of their wafers labored properly together with his stoma. “I really like the flexibleness and the way fast I can pop a pouch on and off on my Hollister stuff — it’s very straightforward. And I’ve gotten so snug with it,” he says.

He’s open to working with different product traces to plot bespoke options. He needs to empower customers to be extra impartial, and hopes to encourage business 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 might make flying with an ostomy simpler. “It’s easy, actually,” he says. “I take into consideration what I’ve discovered, what I want and what works, after which I’m going to work.”