Frequency of peristomal complications.

Practicing wound ostomy continence (WOC) nurses see peristomal complications in their ostomy patient population. The exact frequency and cause of these complications are unknown. Research into problems arising from prolonged use of ostomy appliances is lacking. To ascertain the frequency of peristomal complications, two WOC nurses at a major medical center prospectively assessed the peristomal skin of all new ostomy patients returning for their 2-month postoperative check-up using a peristomal complications tool. The study was conducted from August 1999 to August 2000. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. In the course of the study, 161 new ostomy patients were seen, 10 with peristomal complications, for a frequency of 6%. The frequency of peristomal complications was the highest in people with ileal conduits (five of 34, 15%) and ileostomies (four of 46, 9%). Only one of the 81 people with a colostomy developed peristomal complications. All 10 patients had a retracted stoma. Eight had chemical damage (six with irritant dermatitis, two with pseudoverrucous lesions) and two had Candida infections. Although the study sample size is small, the results suggest that patients with ileal conduits and patients with retracted stomas may require more frequent follow-up visits to monitor skin conditions and pouching modifications.