Dermatologic considerations of stoma care.

Stomas are artificial openings from the gastrointestinal tract or the urinary tract to the outside of the body. Patients with stomas require appliances to protect peristomal skin and contain the stomal effluent. Cutaneous problems that often arise around the stoma may be unique to these patients or may reflect more typical dermatoses and neoplasia arising in an atypical setting. Dermatologists must learn to recognize these disorders and must be aware of preventive and therapeutic techniques and the resources available to manage them. Much can be gained, in both the education of the dermatologist and in the care of the patient, by close cooperation with the specialized enterostomal therapy nurse.