Betel leaf in stoma care.
OBJECTIVE
Construction of a stoma is a common procedure in pediatric surgical practice. For care of these stomas, commercially available devices such as ostomy bag, either disposable or of longer duration are usually used. These are expensive, particularly in countries like Bangladesh, and proper-sized ones are not always available. We have found an alternative for stoma care, betel leaf, which is suitable for Bangladeshis. We report the outcome of its use.


METHODS
After construction of stoma, at first zinc oxide paste was applied on the peristomal skin. A betel leaf with shiny, smooth surface outwards and rough surface inwards was put over the stoma with a hole made in the center according to the size of stoma. Another intact leaf covers the stomal opening. When bowel movement occurs, the overlying intact leaf was removed and the fecal matter was washed away from both. The leaves were reused after cleaning. Leaves were changed every 2 to 3 days. From June 1998 to December 2005, in the department of pediatric surgery, Chittagong Medical College and Hospital, Chittagong, Bangladesh, a total of 623 patients had exteriorization of bowel. Of this total, 495 stomas were cared for with betel leaves and 128 with ostomy bags.


RESULTS
Of 623 children, 287 had sigmoid colostomy, 211 had transverse colostomy, 105 had ileostomy, and 20 had jejunostomy. Of the 495 children under betel leaf stoma care, 13 patients (2.6%) developed skin excoriation. There were no allergic reactions. Of the 128 patients using ostomy bag, 52 (40.65%) had skin excoriation. Twenty-four (18.75%) children developed some allergic reactions to adhesive. Monthly costs for betel leaves were 15 cents (10 BDT), whereas ostomy bags cost about US$24.


CONCLUSIONS
In the care of stoma, betel leaves are cheap, easy to handle, nonirritant, and nonallergic.
Banu
Tahmina
T
Department of Pediatric Surgery, Chittagong Medical College and Hospital, Chittagong 4000, Bangladesh. tahmina@pedsurgbd.org
Talukder
Rupom
R
Chowdhury
Tanvir Kabir
TK
Hoque
Mozammel
M
D001114:Areca; D001459:Bangladesh; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004766:Enterostomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009824:Ointments / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018515:Plant Leaves; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017592:Skin Care / Q000379:methods*; D054047:Surgical Stomas; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000627:therapeutic use
D009824:Ointments; D015034:Zinc Oxide