Which statement describes stoma retraction?

• A. The location of the stoma is either at or below skin level
• B. The stoma protrudes less than 0.5 cm
• C. It is fully necrotic
• D. The stoma is located well above skin level

Answer: (A)

Stoma retraction happens when the opening sinks back toward or below the skin, so it stops protruding above the skin surface. This makes it hard to get a proper seal with the pouching system and increases leakage and skin irritation. Describing the stoma as being at or below skin level is the clearest, most accurate way to capture retraction, which is why that statement is the best choice. If a stoma sits well above the skin, that would be excessive protrusion, not retraction, and necrosis is a different, more severe complication. A measurement like “protrudes less than 0.5 cm” can align with retraction in some cases, but the defining feature is the position relative to the skin, which is captured by the at-or-below-skin-level description.