Find the right Provox adhesive range for your patients
It is important to help support and improve rehabilitation after a laryngectomy. It may take your patients a few days or weeks to get used to the HME and attachment procedure, but by selecting the best fitting adhesive, they can maximise their comfort when wearing an HME.
The lack of conditioning effects of the nose and loss of breathing resistance after a total laryngectomy can result in reduced pulmonary function. By using an HME, the inspiratory temperature and moisture increase, resulting in an improved endotracheal climate. HME use has been seen to improve well-being and pulmonary health in laryngectomees and long-term compliance further improves these results. Provox adhesives are attached to the skin around the tracheostoma in order to provide attachment of a Provox HME. The Provox adhesives are made from hypo-allergenic materials of different types dependant on the range.
Application of the adhesive
Other products that are recommended for proper application of the adhesive are Provox Cleaning Towel (to clean the skin before putting on an adhesive) and Provox Skin Barrier (to protect the skin against adhesive and prevent skin irritation). Additionally, some patients may require the use of Provox Silicone Glue to improve the seal of the adhesive to the skin. Provox Adhesive Remover (to remove glue from the skin) is also recommended to help when removing the adhesive either at the end of the day or between adhesive changes. It is important to look at the individual patient before recommending an adhesive from the wide range available.
There are 6 different types of Provox adhesive baseplates:
The ideal adhesive depends on your patient’s skin, stoma shape and depth and the adhesion strength they need. Provox HMEs can be attached into a variety of available Provox adhesives (Provox OptiDerm, FlexiDerm, XtraBase, StabiliBase and StabiliBase OptiDerm). Successful use of the adhesive depends on stoma characteristics, speech characteristics, on how the patient uses the adhesive and how well the skin is prepared before adhesive application. So, encourage your patients to try a few different Provox adhesives, as this will help them to decide which adhesive(s) best suits their needs.
Provox FlexiDerm
This adhesive is a very flexible material that has strong adhesive properties to provide a good seal around the patient’s stoma. It is a sticky, yet soft and flexible adhesive. It is ideal for use during the day, or if a patient is taking it easy. The FlexiDerm range is available in 3 different shapes to choose from to suit your patient’s stoma position and size for better adhesion and to help prevent air leakage.
Provox OptiDerm
The hydrocolloid material of the OptiDerm adhesive is a substance that forms a gel with water. The gel itself functions as a glue when pre-warmed between your hands before applied to the skin. It is intended for patients with sensitive skin or with skin that is not yet healed properly. This range is suitable for patients after surgery or radiation therapy. The OptiDerm range is available in 3 different shapes to choose from to suit your patient’s stoma position and size for better adhesion and to help prevent air leakage.
