Improving confidence and reducing the fear of leaks

*name has been changed to ensure anonymity

Whilst in hospital, Mr Red tried various convex stoma pouches but was unable to achieve a secure seal, experiencing frequent leaks. The leaks happened more regularly as Mr Red became more active following discharge. When Mr Red’s care continued in the community, he explained how it was difficult for him to manage independently as he struggled to see his stoma. He relied heavily on his wife for support, hindering his self-care and diminishing his confidence. This was also challenging for Mr Red’s wife. Mr Red found it difficult to adjust to life with a stoma, struggling with a huge fear of leaks. He limited his activities, changed his style of clothing, and felt like he had to plan his life around his stoma. He’s an organ player at his church, and it took a long time for him to return to this activity due to the fear of leaking in a public place. He still struggled to fully enjoy this activity even after gathering the courage to return to church.

Mr Red continued to try various pouches but was still experiencing leakage. He was informed of the Welland Aura Plus Soft Convex pouch and was extremely keen to evaluate it and provide his feedback as part of the pre-launch product evaluations, hopeful that this would help to prevent any further leakage.

Mr Red had always used a convex stoma pouch with a 25mm plateau which was similar to his stoma size of 20mm. Mr Red was provided an Aura Plus Soft Convex pouch with a 48mm plateau, with the understanding that he would discontinue use if any leaks occurred. A larger plateau size was determined as appropriate to improve the adhesion of the pouch, reducing the risk of leaks. Pre-use preparations were completed, including sizing, pre-cutting pouches, and a thorough application demonstration by a Stoma Care Nurse, and Mr Red began his product evaluation.

Mr Red put the pouch to the test immediately. As his Community Stoma Care Nurse was leaving his house following the appointment, they had a flat tyre which Mr Red helped to re-inflate. Mr Red joked that if the pouch leaked that it would be the flat tyre’s fault, causing him to bend and put stress on the pouch soon after application. This didn’t happen and Mr Red had an extremely positive experience evaluating Aura Plus Soft Convex, going on to change his prescription and use Aura Plus Soft Convex as his pouch of choice.

When visited by his Stoma Care Nurse the following week, Mr Red described how pleased he was with Aura Plus Soft Convex and what an exceptional difference it made for him. The pouch withstood everyday activities, such as the flat tyre incident, and provided extra discretion, comfort, and security. Mr Red felt more confident with Aura Plus, so much so that he was able to fully enjoy the experience of playing the organ at the front of the church without worrying about leaks. He even wore his suit trousers for the first time, having previously worn jogging bottoms all the time.

From the perspective of a Stoma Care Nurse, this experience highlighted the significance of individualised care and the need to explore different solutions for different patient needs. The Aura Plus Soft Convex with a wider plateau solved the leakage problems experienced by Mr Red, even though typically Mr Red used a pouch with a smaller plateau which was more like his stoma size. Aura Plus Soft Convex facilitated a secure seal, preventing leakage and empowering Mr Red to take more control of his stoma care, improving his quality of life.¹

References

1. Olaitan, P. B., Adeleke, O. E., & Ola, I. O. (2007). Honey: a reservoir for microorganisms and an inhibitory agent for microbes. African health sciences, 7(3), 159–165.