Wafers/Baseplates
Most wafers/baseplates are manufactured using pectin or similar organic material and are available in a wide variety of sizes to accommodate a person's particular anatomy.
The internal opening must be the correct size to accommodate the individual's stoma while protecting the skin from contact with waste. The methods for sizing this opening vary depending on the type of wafer/baseplate; some pre-cut sizes are available, however most users normally customize the opening using scissors. Manufacturers have recently introduced moldable wafers than can be shaped by hand without the need for scissors.
Skin adhesion for modern wafers/baseplates are optimized on all the five parameters required in an adhesive:
- absorption
- tack and adhesion
- flexibility
- erosion resistance
- ease of removal.
A wafer/baseplate may last between One to ten days before it needs to be replaced; this is highly dependent on the individual's lifestyle, ostomy type, and anatomy.
Read more about this topic: Ostomy Pouching System