How to Clean a Stoma

A stoma is a surgery-created opening to the body. It is most often used after laryngectomies and gastrointestinal surgeries where something needs to come in or out of the body regularly (like air or feces). Many patients have a great anxiety about having a stoma because they can become infected. Their appearance can also cause great self-consciousness. In reality, stomas are a routine part of medicine and are quite manageable.

Things You'll Need

• stove
• pot
• kosher salt
• water
• eye-dropper (or other irrigation apparatus)

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Instructions

• 1

  Begin by boiling the water to disinfect it.

• 2

  Add 1/8th of a teaspoon of kosher salt. Regular table salt has anti-caking agents and iodine, which can cause complications. Dissolve the salt entirely.

• 3

  Remove the saline solution from the heat, and allow to cool in a disinfected and chemical free container. Any unused saline solution may be saved for a week, however it is best to create a fresh batch every time.

• 4

  Use the eye dropper to take some of the lukewarm or cool saline solution and flush the stoma. Remove any surrounding debris.

• 5

  Use some kind of protection on the stoma after regular cleanings to keep it clear of foreign objects.