According to NHS data, more than 176,000 people in the UK are living with a stoma.
Coloplast has announced the launch of Heylo, the world’s first digital leak notification system to benefit patients with stomas.
The new system is now available through the NHS and, following an individual consultation and leakage anxiety assessment, will help ease the physical and mental burden of leakage for patients with a stoma.
More than 176,000 people in the UK are living with a stoma – an opening in the abdomen that connects to the digestive or urinary system to allow waste to be removed from the body – according to NHS data.
The most common medical conditions that require stoma surgery include colon cancer, bladder cancer, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and accidental trauma.
For most patients, stoma leakage is currently their biggest challenge, with 92% of people worrying about leakage affecting their physical and mental health, 54% unable to sleep, 37% feeling a lack of control over their condition and 30% feeling restricted in their work.
This new system aims to address these challenges faced by stoma patients by enabling users to track potential leaks, reducing anxiety and helping patients feel reassured, comfortable and in control.
Heylo works via a sensor layer that sits underneath most stoma baseplates and connects to the user’s smartphone and app via Bluetooth. After attaching the device underneath the stoma, users can discreetly open the app to check the status of their leak.
Studies have already shown that Heylo reduces clothing leakage by up to 82%, improving patients’ quality of life.
Additionally, these alerts help prevent skin problems for stoma patients, reducing the need for unavoidable medical appointments and the burden on healthcare professionals.
Adrian Summerson, head of Halo marketing at Coloplast, said: “We know life with a stoma isn’t always easy, and by launching Halo in the UK we aim to provide an innovative solution and peace of mind to those who need it most.”
