An update on stoma appliance flanges and base-plates.

Coping with a stoma can be difficult for many reasons; leakage and skin breakdown are two common problems faced by ostomates (people with a stoma). A flange or base-plate adheres to the patient's abdomen. A secure and well designed flange is essential to the ostomate when adjusting to their newly formed stoma. Selecting the correct type of appliance and flange is an important part of holistic assessment. This article is the second in a series of three and focuses on the newer flanges that are available. It can be difficult for community nurses to keep abreast of all the new developments within the stoma appliance field; therefore, this article aims to highlight some of the key aspects concerning the functionality of available flanges.