By Nancy Morgan, RN, BSN, MBA, WOC, WCC, DWC, OMS
Each issue, Apple Bites brings you a tool you can apply in your daily practice. Here’s a brief overview on moldable, bendable, and stretchable adhesive rings and strips used to improve the seal around a stoma.
Benefits
Adhesive rings and strips can be an alternative to stoma paste for filling or caulking uneven skin contours next to and around a stoma, fistula, or wound. They create a waterproof seal that protects the underlying skin from irritation and are used with (not in place of) the ostomy pouch and skin barrier. Moldable rings and strips may
- be used with one- or two-piece appliances
- prolong ostomy appliance wear time by creating a better seal
- eliminate the need for ostomy paste
- be easier to use than ostomy paste for patients with limited dexterity
- benefit patients with chronic leakage, fitting problems, or highly sensitive skin
- be used around fistulas and wounds to fill crevices and folds.
These rings and strips are also resistant to erosion, and their softness and flexibility allow them to be placed against the stoma without causing pressure or cutting off blood supply.
Use
Moldable rings and strips are adhesive, but not reusable. You can
- stretch and mold rings for use on oval or irregularly shaped stomas, and cut, bend, or stack them together to improve the fit of the barrier. They are typically moldable rings and strips are typically made from pectin-based, hydrocolloid-type ingredients, although composition varies by brand.
- break strips into smaller pieces, and roll or mold them. You can cut and rejoin them as needed.
- warm the rings or strips in your hands to increase malleability.
- place moldable rings and strips either around the stoma before applying the wafer or to the wafer directly.
Brand-name examples
Examples of these products include:
- Coloplast™ Brava™ Moldable Ostomy Rings & Brava™ Strip Paste
- ConvaTec™ Stomahesive® Strips
- Hollister™ Adapt® Barrier Strips & Rings
Nancy Morgan, cofounder of the Wound Care Education Institute, combines her expertise as a Certified Wound Care Nurse with an extensive background in wound care education and program development as a nurse entrepreneur.
Information in Apple Bites is courtesy of the Wound Care Education Institute (WCEI), copyright 2015.
DISCLAIMER: All clinical recommendations are intended to assist with determining the appropriate wound therapy for the patient. Responsibility for final decisions and actions related to care of specific patients shall remain the obligation of the institution, its staff, and the patients’ attending physicians. Nothing in this information shall be deemed to constitute the providing of medical care or the diagnosis of any medical condition. Individuals should contact their healthcare providers for medical-related information.
