While an accurate understanding of the abdominal subcutaneous fatty layer is important for proper stoma formation and care,a precise investigation of this has not yet been conducted.The present study aimed to investigate the thickness of the abdominal fatty layer in various physical positions and to make recommendations regarding good stoma formation.
Subjects included 24 healthy women aged 40-61 years.After marking the stoma sites in the left upper and lower abdomen,we used ultrasonography to measure the thickness of the abdominal subcutaneous fatty layer at the two points in the following five positions:supine,standing,vended standing,sitting,and vended sitting.
The fatty layer was thinnest in the supine position,and thickest in the vended sitting position.Relative to the upper abdomen,the lower abdomen had a thicker fatty layer in several positions.Gaps of the thickness between the position and supine position were larger in lower abdomen.These gaps were more remarkable in the lower abdomen in subjects with higher body mass index(BMI)values.
In conclusion,sufficient intestinal length in the abdominal subcutaneous fatty layer is essential to prevent stoma retraction.We would also recommend stoma fomlation in the upper abdomen for subjects with high BMI.
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