Installation of the 'Jangru and Yoru Cleaning Facilities' in the Cancer Center of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital

Sep 08, 2024

Bundang Seoul National University Hospital recently installed a cleaning facility for the "fungus and urinary tract disabled" in a multipurpose bathroom in the cancer center on the second floor of the second building.

It is expected to ease the difficulties of patients who have undergone stomatosis or urinary fistula and greatly increase the convenience of use.

Stomach fistula refers to a bowel passage made by pulling a small intestine or part of the large intestine out of the body's abdominal surface when the anal function is impaired and normal bowel movements are impossible. More than 85% of ostomy holders are cancer-related surgeries, and more recently, they are caused by various causes such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis as well as cancer diseases.

Since ostomy and urinary tract do not have the same control function as sphincter, the pouch should be emptied and washed cleanly 24 hours a day, but the toilet with separate facilities to empty and manage the pouch is very limited in Korea, so patients have endured the inconvenience without saying anything. Failure to empty the pouch on time not only causes leakage, but also easily causes damage, such as skin crushing, if the excrement around the artificial anus is not properly treated. For this reason, many patients are constrained by the time they go out, and in public places, they are worried that the smell will cause inconvenience to people. There are many inconveniences to use a regular toilet. Regular toilets are low in height, so you have to bend your knees to empty your pockets, and in this process, dirt splatters on clothes or skin or has difficulty handling them.

The background of Bundang Seoul National University Hospital's installation of ostomy and urinary fistula cleaning facilities is in the 「Colon Cancer Gold Ribbon Campaign Policy Symposium」 held in September last year at the Korean Daejanghang Literature Society, where Professor Kang Sung-beom of Surgery serves as the chairman of the board. At that time, the session under the theme of 「The actual condition of toilets and directions for improvement」 drew great attention, and Bundang Seoul National University Hospital pushed for the introduction of facilities by reducing the need for support for human rights protection beyond improving the convenience of patients.

The washer, which looks like a large sink, is designed to fit the average height of Koreans to make it easier to dispose of poo in their pockets. After treatment, you can flush it like a regular toilet. There is a shower hose around the ostomy washer, so patients can maintain the cleanliness of their pockets and artificial anus.

Currently, there are nearly 20,000 ostomy patients in Korea, but there are only nine dedicated cleaning facilities in Korea, including Bundang Seoul National University Hospital. In this situation, patients who use Bundang Seoul National University Hospital are greatly welcoming the installation of ostomy and urine washers in the cancer center.

Kim Jung-ha, a nurse at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital, who serves as the president of the hospital's funeral parlour care society, said "The ostomy and urinary fistula procedures occur even among young people who are actively engaged in social activities, so active support is needed for them."

Professor Kim Deok-woo of surgery at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital said, `Most of the patients with intestinal fistula and urinary fistula are classified as non-severe disabilities that do not require the help of others in their daily lives, so they are relatively less interested than severe disabilities.' `We hope that these relatively marginalized patients will use them conveniently even in hospitals.'

Professor Kang Sung-beom of surgery at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital said, `Bundang Seoul National University Hospital is making various efforts to create a hospital where patients come first"In particular, I hope that cleaning facilities for ostomy and urinary fistula patients, which are far short of supply compared to demand, will be expanded nationwide so that numerous patients in Korea can enjoy their daily lives after surgery in a hygienic manner."



Installation of the 'Jangru and Yoru Cleaning Facilities' in the Cancer Center of Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
Bundang Seoul National University Hospital has installed a cleaning facility for the 「"Fusher and Yoru Disabled" in a multipurpose bathroom in the cancer center on the 2nd floor of the 2nd building.


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