Entrepreneur receives backing to develop ostomy bag alternatives

An entrepreneur from the University of Birmingham’s BizzInn business incubator has been awarded £310,000 by Innovate UK to develop a range of stoma products.

Stephanie Monty set up her company, Ostique, in 2017 to develop products inspired by body art, tattoos and lingerie. The products will be designed to give people ‘freedom from the traditional ostomy bag’ by removing stigmas attached to it. The designs are intended be worn while swimming, on the beach, in the gym, or during intimate occasions – times when exposing an ostomy bag could cause embarrassment.

Stephanie said: “The ostomy bag is a necessity, but it is also a constant reminder of disability. The depression, social anxiety and isolation experienced by many ostomates is very real: some people are afraid to leave the house, and going swimming or baring all on the beach is something that most could not dream of doing.”

The Ostique range will include embossed stoma covers that can be colour-matched to the user’s skin and a disposable waste-collection insert. Ostique’s designs use adhesives to reduce skin inflammation.

The charity Bowel & Cancer Research is leading on all aspects of patient involvement, including testing the prototypes with volunteers before they go into production.

During her research, Stephanie interviewed over 200 patients and found that for many, wearing an ostomy bag, rather than the stoma itself caused the greatest distress. She believes passionately that good medical design should encompass the patient’s physical and psychological needs, and set about designing products that would do just that.

A stoma is often necessary as a result of cancer or bowel disease. Unable to use the toilet “normally” patients must wear a “stuck-on” fabric ostomy bag over the opening to collect their waste.

The ERDF-funded Medical Devices Testing and Evaluation Centre (MD-TEC), and the NIHR Trauma Management MIC, both located at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, are providing support for the testing and commercialisation of the product. Cambridge Design Partnership will work with Stephanie to create detailed design specifications, trial the product and bring it to manufacture.