title: How large should a skin trephine be for an end stoma?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although much has been written about techniques for making a good stoma, little has been described regarding how to excise a trephine that will perfectly fit a given end stoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A reproducible technique for making a stomal trephine to a precise fit for each stoma is described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  More than 20 stomas have been made with good results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The skin trephine should have a diameter approximately two-thirds of the width of the crushed bowel end.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Launceston General Hospital, Tasmania, Australia.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pittas
mesh_terms: D003125:Colostomy; D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D013505:Digestive System Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007081:Ileostomy; D054047:Surgical Stomas