Peristomal skin complications: what dermatologists need to know

Abstract

A stoma is an artificial opening to the skin formed when a part of the gastrointestinal tract is resected and opened to the skin in order to divert the bowel content to the skin surface. The incidence of stomal and peristomal complication varies from 30 to 67% with a significant negative impact on patient quality of life. Despite their prevalence, care providers tend to show insufficient awareness of peristomal skin complications, and research-based evidence related to peristomal skin complication and management options particularly in dermatology literature is sparse. This article will present a comprehensive review of peristomal skin complications in classification, clinical presentation, causes, prevention, and management aiming at increasing knowledge about this topic.