Ileostomy and raw open areas on skin from gastric juices caused by liquid stool for past 24 hours?

Question

A friend has had liquid stools to the extreme for last 24 hours, and the skin has broken down and is raw, and open. What can he use as a barrier before he applies appliance. Stoma paste wont work because the skin is weeping and open. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

A quick fix is to use Mylanta or Maalox (not the mint kind - ouch!). Don't shake the bottle, just skim the watery bit off top and dab the thicker mixture onto his skin. Let it dry and put the new wafer on over the top (It will still stick).

The maalox helps neutralise everything and helps soothe and heal the skin. If only the Maalox people knew what we use their product for!

Stoma paste has alcohol in it and will sting his already sore skin!

When he is cutting the hole for his wafer, make sure he measures his stoma so he knows he's cutting it to the right size. Eakin seals (or Hollister rings, Coloplast Seals, etc) all do the same job as stoma paste but have no alcohol in them and are kinder to the skin (plus they last longer).

Good luck to your friend.

Answer 2

my gramma used to swipe the area with listerine. it is an antibacterial agent, and that's what they told her to do in the hospital, it would kinda burn if her skin is that raw though. gramma used it on every change all the time. if the skin is as bad as you say it is, i would go to the emergency, or to the family doctor- depending on how much pain is involved, and how long your friend wants to wait. good luck.