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Northwestern University Innovation Concept for Ostomates regarding Pouch Ballooning

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Posted 6/8/2014 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone,

I sincerely hope that you are all well and having a great weekend!

I wanted to approach all of you because you all are such a profoundly intelligent, empathetic and supportive bunch. Also know that where you have concerns/issues, that improvement is needed and we have a voice in the matter.

Last year, Northwestern's Innovation Group for Development and Design started coming to the hospital's ostomy support groups. The team consists of doctors doing fellowships, and wanted to focus their concerns regarding product development towards ostomy needs. Their efforts then narrowed to Pouch Ballooning/Filter, and received a grant to start this process.

They now have a concept mock-up and have asked me to participate later this week. Since they are still in their beginning but most recent round of the design phase, they are still requesting new perspectives and insights.

For all of you, any insights would be helpful. I have mine but would love to hear yours. What has your experiences been with your pouch ballooning, and with the filters? Your thoughts on design modifications?

Thank you all and can't wait to hear your thoughts/ideas!!!!!
Posted 6/8/2014 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
Basic feeling among people, with a few exceptions, is that filters do not work well with an ileostomy. The output is too liquid and plugs up the current filters quickly. This is my experience. The time frame for me varies from an hour or so after putting on a new pouch/bag to maybe 24 hrs. My pouch change time is 3 or 4 days. I think a filtration system that would eleminate or minimze balloning would be a valuable advancement for people with an ileostomy.

The solution I believe is in the design and materials used between the filter and the contents of the pouch. Since you have one of the best materials science divisions at Northwestern (I know someone who works there) this seems like an ideal area of r&d for the University. It would make life better for many people should you come up with a solution to this issue.
Posted 6/8/2014 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
     Ditto rdm.  I use Coloplast Sensura one piece.  My only complaint is the filter clogging up so rapidly.  I have a permanent ileostomy.  It would be super for them to design a bag with a filter that actually does its job.
Posted 6/9/2014 3:47 AM (GMT 0)
I agree with the above thoughts. Generally, filters do not seem to work very well for ileostomies. I have tried many different pouches and have found varying levels of effectiveness when it comes to filters, none being very effective at all. The one exception to this is the filter on the extra large Convatec bag that I have been sampling to wear over night. It has a completely different kind of filter on it than the standard Convatec 2 piece bag. The standard bag's filter do not work for me AT ALL, but the extra large bag's filter actually works pretty well for many nights in a row.

I do have a pretty big problem with pouch ballooning. Seems my system gets pretty gassy at night, and my pouch often balloons up while I am sleeping. Many times, this has caused so much pressure to build up that it forces my wafer loose and I wake up to a big mess!! Wearing that extra large Convatec bag has helped a lot, but I would love to have a bag for every day wear that handles gas well enough that I don't have to burp it many times a day to release gas.
Posted 6/9/2014 12:58 PM (GMT 0)
An excellent and worthy Tech project and best of luck. I use Hollister new image lock n' roll and have never even tried a filtered pouch, in large part because I have heard they are indeed next to useless for ileostomies. I generally know which foods or drinks will cause ballooning and the result us still a hugely extensive diet vs my UC days, but it would be real nice not to have to burp my pouch by sitting on the side of my bed on those occasions it does balloon at night. (One of the things I love about my hollister system is that burping a pouch is so quick and easy- still, it requires not being in an open public area).

Post Edited (Probiotic) : 6/9/2014 7:04:36 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/9/2014 4:04 PM (GMT 0)
I'm in the minority here- I use filtered pouches, & they seem to work fine. I really don't know what ppl. mean when they say the filters get "clogged". The filter is at the uppermost part of the bag- little to no waste ever gets that high up unless you never emptied. Even laying down, my output is think enough not to slosh to the top. I do have a puffy bag in the AM's, but it's never taut, never fully inflated... I've never had to burp the bag yet. I use both Hollister lock & roll bags, or Convatec ones- they both have integrated filters. I figure the filters must be doing something!
Posted 6/11/2014 10:53 PM (GMT 0)
This would be very helpful indeed, to come up with something that would work for the ballooning. My husband has two permanent stomas…Ileostomy and urostomy. The last four nights the gas ballooned so bad, that when he got up to empty, the bag blew out from his body. Each time was a nightmare of poop everywhere. Last night was the worst. We are using a large output bag from Coloplast. I have added the filters as they say to do. They don't seem to work.
I am wondering if all the Gas X he is taking is causing the ballooning. I am scared to go to bed tonight. Surely someone can invent a bag that would take care of night time gas ballooning.

I am hopeful..and since I take care of my husband, (changing the bags, etc. ), I would be very happy to talk to anyone that could help. di
Posted 6/12/2014 10:59 PM (GMT 0)
I started a new post…I am thinking that my husband has the ballooning problem because of his
cpap machine for sleep apnea. I have contacted the sleep doctor, and as of yet, have not heard from him, and also contacted Byram, the company we get the pouches from, and asked them of the problem. The girl at Byram, said, "yes," that could be the problem. I am trying to figure out what to do with my husband's problem, (which is mine, also). What we really need , is a pouch that can take the gas out. Di
Posted 6/13/2014 12:20 PM (GMT 0)
Eva Lou
I am so glad you answered. I always seem to be alone in the minority.

I wear convatec two piece convex with a filter. The filter works pretty well for me. Perhaps my empty/rinse procedure helps. After I empty I rinse the pouch with water including the filter area.

Minor irritation...........why is it called a filter? It is a vent that has a filter!! That's what we are talking about....the vent.

Dan
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