What do you call the skin surrounding the stoma?

Peristomal Skin

The skin surrounding a stoma is called "peristomal skin." 1

Terminology and Definition

• The term "peristomal" is the standard medical terminology used to describe the skin area immediately adjacent to and surrounding the stoma opening 1

• This terminology is consistently used across clinical guidelines from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) and other major medical societies 1

• The integrity of peristomal skin is critical for maintaining proper appliance adherence and preventing complications 2, 3, 4

Clinical Significance

Maintaining healthy peristomal skin is essential for quality of life in ostomates, as skin breakdown directly affects both physical function and psychological well-being 2, 4

Common Peristomal Complications

• Peristomal skin problems are extremely common, affecting up to 80% of ostomates at some point 3, 4

• The most frequent cause of peristomal skin damage is leakage of effluent (stool or urine) onto the skin from poorly fitting appliances 1

• Other peristomal conditions include allergic contact dermatitis (presenting as itching and redness matching the shape of the appliance), fungal infections (appearing as itchy maculopapular rash with satellite borders), folliculitis, and peristomal pyoderma gangrenosum (painful ulcers with purple halos, particularly in IBD patients) 1

Management Principles

• Preoperative stoma site marking by wound ostomy and continence (WOC) nurses has been shown to decrease peristomal skin complications and improve quality of life 1

• Proper appliance fit is the cornerstone of preventing peristomal skin breakdown 3, 4