Uncategorized - Fistula Solution

Putting the “S” in SNAP: Skin Protection

In the world of wound care, few tasks are as complex—or as meaningful—as caring for patients with enteric fistulas. Each day, clinicians step up with incredible dedication, skill, and compassion in protecting skin from effluent, fighting infection, and promoting healing. Their work may not always make headlines, but it changes lives.

One of the most important—and sometimes underappreciated—ways to make a difference? Protecting the skin from effluent.

Why Skin Protection Matters

The effluent from a small bowel fistula or high-output stoma is filled with potent digestive enzymes. When it comes into contact with healthy skin, damage can occur in a matter of hours—causing pain, infection risk, and dressing failure.

Our clinical heroes know that protecting periwound skin isn’t just about comfort—it’s critical for healing and successful containment. That’s why Skin Protection is the first “S” in the SNAP approach to fistula management (Skin and Sepsis, Nutrition, Anatomy, and Plan).

A Hero’s Tool: The Wound Crown

One of the most effective tools available for protecting skin is the Wound Crown—developed by Fistula Solution with feedback from clinicians in the field.

This flexible, clinician-tested device is designed specifically for high-output enteric fistulas and stomas. It helps manage effluent more effectively and supports long-term skin integrity.

Key features include:

A 1.5-inch center opening ideal for small bowel fistulas, ileostomies, or surgical drains
A flexible base that can be trimmed to fit unique anatomy
Optional skirt cuts for improved isolation and drainage
Compatibility with surgical drapes, barrier rings, and pouching systems

By directing output away from fragile skin, the Wound Crown strengthens the dressing system and helps create the healing environment every patient deserves.

See it in action: Watch how the Wound Crown protects periwound skin

Best Practices for Skin Protection

Outstanding care begins with great technique. Whether you’re a new clinician or a seasoned expert, small refinements in your process can lead to better results.

Need a guide?
Download our free Dressing Change Checklist (PDF)
It’s a step-by-step walkthrough to help you get consistent, reliable results.

Final Thoughts: Small Steps, Big Impact

Protecting periwound skin may seem like a small piece of the puzzle—but for fistula patients, it makes a world of difference. With the right tools, sound technique, and your expert care, healing becomes possible.

To all the nurses, wound specialists, APPs, surgeons, and caregivers: you are the heroes of fistula care. We’re proud to support your mission with solutions that help you do what you do best—care deeply, act boldly, and heal skillfully.

Need Support or Supplies?

Not sure if your clinic or hospital carries Fistula Solution products? We’re happy to help you get what you need.

Caring for patients with enteric fistulas is no small task. Fistula care demands clinical skill, compassion, creativity, and above all, a deep commitment to protecting patients from complications like skin breakdown and infection. These daily challenges are met head-on by dedicated wound and ostomy care clinicians, nurses, and providers who embody the best of patient-centered care.

At Fistula Solution, we believe these caregivers are heroes. That’s why our tools and resources are designed to support their efforts—making complex fistula management more manageable, more effective, and more rewarding.

Let’s explore four common challenges in skin and sepsis management—and how purpose-built solutions can help you keep patients safer and more comfortable.

1. Moving Beyond Familiar Supplies

The Challenge:
Ostomy barriers and makeshift materials are often used because they’re readily available. But in fistula care, they can fall short—leading to leaks, skin damage, and increased infection risk.

A Better Way:
Choose devices designed specifically for fistulas. Tools like the Wound Crown, Fistula Funnel, and Isolator Strip are engineered to contain effluent, protect delicate skin, and promote healing from the start.

2. Prioritizing Effluent Isolation Early

The Challenge:
Escaping effluent can soak dressings and macerate surrounding skin, opening the door to irritation and infection—especially with high-output fistulas.

A Better Way:
Use containment-focused devices from the beginning. The Wound Crown and Fistula Funnel direct output into pouching systems, helping maintain a clean environment and protecting the skin you work so hard to preserve.

3. Tailoring Tools to the Patient

The Challenge:
Every fistula is unique. Yet many clinicians are left adapting general supplies to fit highly individualized anatomy and output patterns.

A Better Way:
Customize your approach with tools designed for different clinical needs:

Wound Crown: Ideal for small-bowel fistulas and ileostomies
Fistula Funnel: Great for isolating output near wound edges or in tight spaces
Isolator Strip: Effective for large, irregular wounds or multiple fistulas

Matching the right device to the situation leads to better containment, improved skin protection, and more predictable results.

4. Building Confidence Through Education

The Challenge:
Even the best devices won’t work if clinicians aren’t supported with training and guidance. Without it, technique issues can lead to frustration and setbacks.

A Better Way:
Empower yourself and your team with the Fistula Solution Knowledge Center. It’s full of real-world videos, application tips, and how-to guides—all created by clinicians, for clinicians. Because the more confident you are, the more confident your patients can be.

You Are the Solution

Every fistula patient deserves expert, compassionate care—and that starts with you. By focusing on Skin protection and Sepsis prevention—the first “S” in the SNAP fistula management framework—you’re improving lives every day.

Fistula Solution is here to support your work with the tools and knowledge you need to deliver extraordinary care.

Explore our full line of devices and training materials in the Knowledge Center.

Want a deeper dive into the SNAP approach?
Check out this insightful literature review:
Enterocutaneous Fistula: Proven Strategies and Updates (Clinics in Colon and Rectal Surgery)
It highlights the power of effluent containment, skin protection, and individualized treatment—principles at the heart of everything we do.

Category: Uncategorized

Everyday Heroes in Fistula Care: Proven Tips for Protecting Skin from Effluent