The selective approach to successful stomal management at home.

Practical aspects of caring for a patient's tracheal stoma at home are reviewed, based on our experience with 1,000 head and neck cancer and/or laryngotracheal stenosis patients treated at a large, multidisciplinary medical center. Successful management depends on understanding the various types of stomas and relating basic principles of hygiene to the fundamental concepts of wound healing and inflammation. There is no standard formula. Each case requires individual attention and planning.