[Multicenter study on the application of a continence device for ++ostomized patients]

Abstract

The restoration of continence is a fundamental step in the rehabilitation of stomised patients. The latest generation of continence prosthesis, represented by Conseal must be seen in this context. The authors performed a multicentre study based on a protocol using Conseal Uni in patients with low terminal digestive stomies (ileum or colostomy). The only criteria for patient selection was the absence of marked stomal and peristomal pathologies (large prolapse, fistula). The three centres taking part in the study inserted the new device in 50 patients (25 M; 25 F) with a mean age of 57.5 years (range 18-87) of whom 45 had undergone left terminal colostomy and 5 terminal ileostomy. A weekly evaluation was made of the use of the prosthesis for 4 weeks and a follow-up control was performed after 24 months in 22 patients. The results obtained shown that Conseal received a positive judgement in 88% of patients, better results were obtained in colostomized patients receiving irrigation (positive judgement in 100% of cases), whereas the success rate in non-irrigated patients only amounted to 50%. An additional application for the use of Conseal emerged from the study, namely its utilisation by ileostomised patients. Using various technical procedures, it was possible to obtain 8-hour continence in ileostomised patients. This result is of considerable importance since it shows the research, technological and clinical effort that has been made to achieve a form of continence in ileostomised patients.