RECEPTACLE FOR FAECES AND METHOD OF COLLECTING FAECES FOR A DIAGNOSTIC DETERMINATION

Abstract: A receptacle for collecting, storing and/or dispensing faeces samples is provided. Such a receptacle comprises a flexible pouch (1) having a faeces collection opening on its upper side, a faeces discharge spout (2) on its lower side and means such as straps (5) for attaching the receptacle to a supporting member such as a lavatory seat with the pouch in an open, faeces-collecting condition. The faeces collection opening can be closed by folding the pouch along fold line (8). The faeces discharge spout can be closed by folding the spout along fold line (3). The receptacle is preferably used to collect faeces samples for diagnostic determinations.

Description: RECEPTACLE FOR FECES AND METHOD OF COLLECTING FECES FOR A DIAGNOSTIC DETERMINATION This invention relates to a receptacle for feces and to a method of collecting feces destined for a diagnostic determination. In order to carry out certain types of diagnostic tests, diagnostic determinations of samples of the reces from patients often have to be carried out. Such determinations are generally made in clinical laboratories. To carry out such testing, feces of patients in clinics or hospitals must be collected, and the samples of collected feces must be taken for testing after homogenization. Collecting and storing feces is unpleasant both for patients and for hospital and laboratory staff. Ersek; U.S. Patent 3,346,883; issued October 17, 1967 suggests collection and storage of patients 1 urine, feces, sputum, and the like, in a closable plastic receptacle which may be discarded after use. Such a receptacle is in the form of a bag and has on its open upper side two straps which are provided with adhesive tape with which the receptacle can be fastened to a supporting member, for example, a lavatory seat. After collection of urine and/or feces in the receptacle, the receptacle may be closed, transported and stored. In the laboratory a sample can be taken by piercing the wall of the receptacle with a pipette or spatula. One disadvantage of receptacles of this type is that, after taking samples, a reliable and hermetic seal of the receptacle is no longer possible. This may easily give rise to nuisance caused by stench during storage because the feces often have to be kept for possible complementary determinations. Moreover, the opening made by means of a sharp object is vulnerable and can easily tear further so that leaking out of urine and/or feces from the receptacle OMPI -2- may be promoted. In a radiodiagnostic determination, the feces being tested are radioactive/ as hereinafter described. Obviously in this situation, the feces cannot be released from the receptacle. Another disadvantage of receptacles in the form of a bag as described in the above-mentione U.S. Patent 3,346,883 is the angular shape of the feces pouch. With bag receptacles of this type, the contents cannot be efficiently manually homogenized due to the blind corners therein. Furthermore, mechanical homogenization is not possible at all. Yet another disadvantage of prior art feces collection devices involves the unsuitability of such receptacles for selectively collecting feces samples which are free of urine contamination. The receptacle disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,346,883, for example, has an oval opening for feces collection. As a result thereof, contamination of feces with urine can easily take place so that such receptacles are less suitable for collecting feces destined for certain diagnostic determinations, for example, radiodiagnostic determinations as hereinafter described. The above-mentioned disadvantages of prior art feces receptacles can be eliminated or mitigated by use of the receptacle of the present invention. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an especially useful receptacle for feces is provided. Such a receptacle comprises a flexible, air-tight and moisture-proof pouch having a closable opening on its upper side through which feces can be introduced. Such a pouch includes means for attaching the pouch in the open condition to a supporting member and further includes a closable discharge spout. In order to collect a feces sample, the receptacle is attached with the upper side in the open condition to a supporting member, for example, a lavatory seat, by means of the straps or flaps which may be present on the open upper side and which are preferably provided with adhesive tape. When the receptacle is filled, it can be detached from the supporting member, for example, by removing the straps or flaps from the lavatory seat, after which the pouch is hermetically sealed on its upper side. Hermetic sealing can be accomplished, for example, by folding the upper side of the pouch and then sliding a plastic or metal clamping strip on the resulting fold or pleat. The receptacle can then simply be transported and stored, for example, in a freezer. Before samples are taken from the pouch in the laboratory, the contents of the receptacle must frequently be well homogenized. Homogenization can be carried out manually by kneading the contents of the pouch externally or mechanically by causing a stirrer or mixer, for example of the Ultra Turrex type, to rotate internally in the receptacle. In order to enable thorough mixing of the contents of the receptacle, the shape of the receptacle is very important. No blind corners should be present ' in the configuration of the receptacle. Therefore, the pouch having a spout is preferably in the form or configuration of a separatory funnel, i.e. the pouch may have the shape and form of a flexible separatory funnel. A separatory funnel .commonly is a piece of glass apparatus having a characteristic shape and is frequently used in chemistry. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the separatory funnel configuration of the receptacle is also of importance for taking samples from the pouch. During collection of feces, the discharge spout of the receptacle can be held in a fixed folded or pleated condition, for example, by means of adhesive tape. This is to prevent non-homogenized feces from entering the spout. The spout may also be fixed in a folded condition by means of a clamping strip which slides onto the fold or pleat. Initially the spout may be closed from the outside, for example, it may be sealed, but this is not OMPI essential. The most suitable location for the discharge spout is on the lower side of the pouch, hence opposite to the closable opening on the upper side. In order to take samples from the receptacle, the means for holding the spout in a folded position, e.g. the adhesive tape or clamping strip, is removed, and the spout is folded out and, if sealed, opened by cutting off the tip. The required feces sample can then be forced out through the spout, preferably directly into a glass tube, flask or beaker suitable for analysis. The shape of the receptacle in the form of a separatory funnel is particularly suitable for taking samples. As a matter of fact it has been found that a feces sample can very easily be forced out of a receptacle in such a configuration. After a feces sample has been taken via the discharge spout, the spout can be closed again, and the receptacle can then be stored in an air¬ tight manner, or, if desired, may be discarded without the danger of further fecal matter being released. The receptacle according to the present invention is meant for collecting feces. For many diagnostic determinations the feces should not be mixed with urine. This is the case in particular for the determination of the fat absorption by means of radioactive materials, as described, for example, in Otto; U.S. Patent 3,993,741; issued November 23, 1976. For this determination, a test fat labeled 125I i.s admi.ni.stered or-ally- to the patient together with a reference substance labeled 75Se. By radioactivity measurements of the administered substances and of the feces, it is determined to what extent the ratio between quantity of test fat and reference substance has changed as a result of the passage through the gastrointestinal tract. However, because the test fat labeled 125I absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract is split for the most part into free iodine and fat decomposition products, and because free iodine is OM IP -5- secreted with the urine, it is necessary for the success of the method that no contamination of feces with urine take place. The feces receptacle of the present invention is constructed so that contamination of feces with urine can be avoided. For that purpose, the open upper side of the receptacle generally has at least three straps or flaps with which the receptacle can be fixed or attached to a supporting member, for example, a lavatory seat. Adhesive tape is suitable to effect such attachment. When the receptacle is attached to the lavatory seat, the opening is approximately circular, and the diameter of said opening is preferably small enough to avoid the contamination of feces samples with urine. Advantageously, the diameter of the circular opening does not exceed 11 centimeters. For children a receptacle having a smaller opening can be used. In one aspect of the present invention, the receptacle pouch also has on its open upper side indicator means which, after the pouch is secured to a lavatory seat, project slightly above the lavatory seat so that the user or patient can be more easily positioned or oriented above the receptacle. These indicator means may be in the form of flexible plastic projections, preferably forming one assembly with the pouch. The receptacle of the present invention is thus particularly suitable for collecting feces which are destined for diagnostic determinations and especially suitable for use for those determinations in which contamination of feces with urine is to be avoided, e.g. for radiodiagnostic determinations. The receptacle of the present invention can be constructed of a transparent plastic material, for example, soft PVC or polyethylene. For radiodiagnostic determinations, a substance which colors the feces is usually administered to the patient. Therefore, in order to permit inspection of the receptacle contents for OMPI .. IPO consistency and color, a transparent material is best suited for a universally useful receptacle. The receptacle and its use are described in greater detail with reference to the embodiment which is shown in the accompanying drawings. Figure 1. (A and B) is a perspective view of a feces receptacle and clamping strip therefor. Figure 2 ^ shows the receptacle in the flattened condition. Receptacle pouch, 1, in combination with discharge spout, 2, is substantially in the configuration of a separatory funnel. During use, transport and storage, the spout, 2, is folded at fold line, 3, and is fixed to the side of the pouch by means of a strip of adhesive tape, 4. On its open upper side, the pouch has four flaps, 5, which can be fixed to a lavatory seat by means of strips of adhesive tape 6. In the condition in which the receptacle is fixed to the lavatory seat, two plastic projections, 7, project above the lavatory seat; these aid the patient in orienting himself above the receptacle. When the receptacle is filled, it is sealed hermetically on its upper side by folding the pouch at fold line, 8, and by then sliding a plastic clamping ^ strip, 9 in Figure IB, on the resulting pleat. After having homogenized the contents of the pouch externally or internally, samples can simply be taken in the laboratory by detaching the spout from the pouch and by then folding it out. The tip of the spout can then be clipped off to permit discharge of fecal material. By exerting pressure on the pouch, a sample of feces can easily be forced out for a determination. The spout can be simply closed again by folding it back, after emptying * it and by then again attaching the spout to the pouch by means of the adhesive tape.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A receptacle suitable for collecting, storing and discharging feces samples, said receptacle comprising a flexible pouch having a closable feces collection opening on its upper side, and means for attaching the pouch to a supporting member in an open, feces-collecting condition, characterized in that said pouch further comprises a feces discharge spout- which is closable to render the receptacle air-tight and water-tight. 2. A receptacle in accordance with claim 1 characterized in that the discharge spout is flexible and can be closed by folding said spout. 3. A receptacle in accordance with claim 2 characterized in that the receptacle additionally has means for maintaining the discharge spout in a fixed closed folded position. 4. A receptacle according to claims 1, 2 or 3 characterized in that the discharge spout is situated on the lower side of the pouch opposite the collection opening on the upper side of the pouch. 5. A receptacle according to claim 4 characterized in that the pouch and discharge spout together are substantially in the configuration of a separatory funnel. 6. A receptacle according to claims 1, 2 or 3 character-ized in that the means for attaching the pouch to the supporting member comprise at least three flaps. 7. A receptacle according to claim 5 characterized in that the means for attaching the pouch to the supporting member comprise at least three flaps. 8. A receptacle according to claim 7 characterized in that the attaching means flaps have adhesive surfaces. 9. A receptacle according to claim 4 characterized in that the feces collection opening is substantially circular and has a diameter not exceeding about 11 centimeters. -8- 10. A receptacle according to claim 7 characterized in that the feces collection opening is substantially circular and has a diameter not exceeding about 11 centimeters. 11. A receptacle according to claim 7 characterized in that the pouch also contains indicator means on the open upper side, which indicator means project slightly above the open upper side to thereby aid in the orienting the user of said receptacle above said receptacle for feces collection. 12. A method of collecting feces destined for a diagnostic determination, said method characterized by introducing the feces into the receptacle of claim 1. 13. A method of collecting feces destined for a radiodiagnostic determination, said method characterized by introducing the feces to a receptacle of claim 10. 14. A method of discharging feces samples from a receptacle, said method characterized by detaching and unfolding the discharge spout of the receptacle of claim 4 and subsequently forcing a feces sample through said discharge spout by exerting pressure on the receptacle pouch. OMP /λ f WIIPP

Inventors: DE JONG R
Applicants: BYK MALLINCKRODT CIL BV, JONG R DE, DE JONG R
Application year: 1979
Main classification: A61B10
IPC codes: A61B10