smelly ostomy

[pengland1965]

I can really use some suggestions dealing with a smelly ostomy:imbar I am caring for a 25 week gestation corrected 35 week boy with a dual stoma ostomy that is several weeks old. To say this child simply smells, is like saying nurses simply work. The smell is very loud even outside his incubator. My coworkers not only avoid our bedspace, they avoid the entire bay! We are starting to get lonely.

We have done stool cultures, virals and fungals. All negetive. We have done metabolic workups including DNA for CSF. Everything is negetive. At this point, we have basically decided to forget looking for the "Why". We are now concentrating equally hard looking for a "cure". The problem has become finding a product/solution that is safe for the preterm infant. All products we have found thus far have either not been tested on infants in general. Or, can not be guaranteed for the preterm infant. Being a post 25 weeker, this little guy has all the usual problems. BPD, feeding intolerance, ROP...etc. He remains on the vent in an incubator. Although I am starting to believe he is remaining in the incubator so the neo does't have to be exposed to the full concentration of the odor while working in the bay. Nevertheless, I can't just add an odor neutralizer to his bed. And I'm very nervous about adding anything to his pouch unless proven safe for premies. We have tried adding lactinex to his feedings. Helped only slightly. And due to feeding intolerance, constantly stopping the lactinex due to NPO status.

"Stinky" and I are running out of friends. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

We have a couple of those on my unit too! And there really isn't too much you can do about it. Do you change the bag frequently? And I would put that poor child in a crib if he is big enough! Can you imagine the stench in there?

Also, what formula is he on? That is always a big factor, especially if they are dumping.

All you can do is love Stinky, smell and all!

[renerian, BSN, RN]

How about using those deoderant drops that go in the ostomy bag?

renerian

[kimmicoobug]

Poor baby. It is hard to be around ostomies, sometimes. I have never been around an infant with an ostomy, only adults. If there is anything that can make my stomach churn is emptying an ostomy bag.

[RN from OZ]

We empty and irrigate the bags every 4 hours with warm sterile water. Is this bub on thickened feeds for his intollerance ? that also helps, also the type of formula ......I do not know the types you have over there but we have enfalac that is always a shocker smell wise.

Was the reason for the ostomy NEC ? I find the ostomies for NEC are always the smelliest. I'd be getting him out of the crib they smell worse in there than out !