COLOSTOMY IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT

Abstract: A colostomy irrigation equipment comprises a stoma cap (1) with a rotary valve including a cylindrical housing (27) in which is rotatably mounted a valve cylinder (28). The valve cylinder has two apertures (29, 30) arranged at 90 DEG to one another to align respectively with an inlet from an irrigating water supply pipe (16) and an outlet for a discharge pipe (17) for the waste products from a patient's stoma. The stoma cap is connected by a suction tube (24) to a piston plunger (21) having a one-way inlet valve (22) for creating a vacuum in the stoma cap in order to maintain the stoma cap, by means of the suction, on a patient's body surrounding the stoma. The rotary valve is also connected to a supply of flushing water via a pipe (25) to flush the stoma cap after use.

Description: Title: COLOSTOMY IRRIGATION EQUIPMENT This invention relates to colostomy irrigation equipment. Portable colostomy irrigation equipment is already knovm which is used to irrigate the bowels of a person who has had a colostomy. Such equipment includes an irrigation bag, tubing and a drain bag. It is disadvantageous in that it is messy, odorous and a tube has to be inserted into the stoma to introduce the irrigating water. The aim of the present invention is to provide colostomy irrigation equipment which overcomes the above disadvantage and makes the irrigation procedure more acceptable to the patient. According to the present invention, there is provided colostomy irrigation equipment comprising a stoma cap, means for creating a vacuum or partial vacuum in the stoma cap when said cap is applied to a stoma of a patient to seal it to the body of the patient surrounding the stoma, a controlled water supply and a waste outlet. The controlled water supply may be plumbed into the mains hot and cold water supply and temperature registering means provided to indicate the correct temperature for irrigating. In a preferred construction of the equipment the temperature of the controlled water supply is 40°C. There are two main reasons for producing suction in the stoma cap: firstly, to hold the cap firmly to the area surrounding the stoma and, secondly, to ensure against leakage of fluids between the stoma cap and the patient while irrigating. According to one embodiment of the invention, the means for creating a vacuum or partial vacuum in the stoma cap comprises a vacuum tank connected to the stoma cap and valve means which when opened, allows a vacuum to be created in the vacuum tank which in turn creates a vacuum or partial vacuum at the stoma cap to seal the latter to the patient's body surrounding the stoma. According to another embodiment of the invention, the means for creating a vacuum or partial vacuum in the stoma cap comprises a plunger mounted in a casing which may be directly connected to or mounted on the stoma cap. The colostomy irrigation equipment according to the invention preferably also includes an inlet pipe for the controlled water supply and a discharge pipe for the waste outlet which are each connected to the stoma cap and each provided with a respective control valve. According to a further embodiment of the invention, the stoma cap includes a rotary valve to control the supply of irrigation water to the stoma and a discharge pipe is also connected to the stoma cap. Preferably, the rotary valve has two apertures arranged at 90° to one another to align with an inlet for the irrigation water and the discharge pipe respectively. The rotary valve may further have a control member provided with indicating means to show the operating position of the valve. Conveniently, the stoma cap includes a spray device to cleanse and provide drainage water for the waste. The spray device is preferably connected to a supply of flushing water. The equipment preferably also includes a belt to enable the stoma cap to be strapped in position over a patient's stoma to permit positioning of the stoma cap before the vacuum or partial vacuum is applied and to maintain the stoma cap in position in the event of a loss of suction effect on the stoma cap as a result of equipment malfunction. The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic layout of one embodiment of colostomy irrigation equipment according to the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged detail of the stoma cap and associated connections of the equipment shown in Figure 1 ; F igure 3 is a front e levation of the s toma cap illustrated in Figure 2 ; Figure 4 is a front elevation of a second embodiment of stoma cap according to the invention; Figure 5 is a diagrammatic side sectional view of the stoma cap shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a diagrammatic layout of another embodiment of colostomy irrigation equipment according to the invention utilising the stoma cap shown in Figures 4 and 5; Figure 7 is a diagrammatic layout of a still further embodiment of the colostomy irrigation equipment, according to the invention; Figure 8 is an axial cross-section through a modified embodiment of stoma cap for use with the associated connections of the equipment shown in Figure 7; Figure 9 is a diagrammatic front elevation of the stoma cap shown in Figure 8; and Figure 10 is a diagrammatic rear elevation of the stoma cap shown in Figures 8 and 9. In the drawings, like parts are denoted by like reference numerals. Reference will first be made to Figure 1 of the drawings in which the colostomy irrigation equipment comprises a stoma cap 1 which is connected to the top of a vacuum tank 2 by an inlet tube 3. A controlled water supply is fed to the stoma cap from a reservoir tank 4. Hot and cold water are plumbed into the equipment to supply water to both tanks 2 and 4 from a mains hot water inlet 5 and a mains cold water inlet 6. The stoma cap 1 is also connected to a waste trap 7, which may be a toilet basin, via a pipe 17 and a gate valve 8. The hot and cold water supply is fed through a series of pipes in the direction of the arrows and is controlled by taps A to F. The stoma cap 1 has an internal spray device 9, (see Figures 2 and 3) which is located at the centre of the cap. The water from the vacuum tank 2 flows down the tube 15 and causes the stoma cap 1 to be held onto the skin, surrounding the stoma, by suction. Air in the stoma cap is allowed to escape through the outlet pipe 11. To operate the colostomy irrigation equipment according to the invention the reservoir tank 4 is filled to the required level by opening the taps C and D from the hot and cold water mains supply. The taps are operated to admit water via the pipe 12 at the required temperature of 40°C as indicated by the thermometer 13 until the tank 4 is filled to a required level and the taps C and D are then closed. The waste trap gate valve 8 is closed and the water inlet tap E is turned on to fill the vacuum tank 2 up to the required level via the pipe 14 and is then closed again. The stoma cap 1 is attached to the patient so that it surrounds the stoma (not shown) and is held in place temporarily by a belt (not shown). The gate valve 8 is opened and then the tap F is opened which releases a supply of water from the vacuum tank 2 down the pipe 15. This creates a partial vacuum in the tank 2 and causes the stoma cap to be held firmly to the patient's skin by suction. The tap F can be left open, depending on the amount of suction required, or it may then be closed. The stoma inlet tap A is then opened slowly allowing water at the required temperature of 40°C to be released down the pipe 16 to enter the pipe 19 which is connected to the stoma cap 1. Air in the stoma cap 1 and inlet pipe 19 escapes up the outlet pipe 11. Water will then flow into the stoma for irrigation in the usual manner. The tap A is closed when the reservoir is empty. The waste gate valve 8 is then opened to allow discharge of water and stools from the patient through the stoma. Irrigation is allowed to continue until complete, while at the same time the tap B is opened to allow the operation of the spray device 9 which continuously cleanses the stoma and provides drainage water for removal of waste. The taps B and F should then be closed and the tap E opened to supply water to the tank 2 to eliminate the suction on the stoma cap which can then be removed from the stoma. The irrigation equipment can then be readily and hygienically cleaned and prepared for further use by fully opening both the cold inlet tap C and the stoma inlet tap A and flushing the system for as long as required. With particular reference to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, the stoma cap 1 has a rubber padding ring 18 in order to provide an efficient and effective seal over the stoma when the equipment is in use. The modified form of stoma cap illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings dispenses with the inlet tube 3 and is provided instead with a casing 20 which is connected to or mounted on the stoma cap 1 and which houses a piston or plunger 21. The interior of the casing 20 is connected to the interior of the stoma cap 1 by a one-way valve 22 and the outer end of the casing 20 is closed except for a small bore through which extends the rod or shaft of the piston or plunger. A handle 23 is provided on the projecting end of said rod or shaft. In order to maintain this embodiment of stoma cap over a patient's stoma, the stoma cap 1 is attached as before and held in place by a belt (not shown). At this stage, the plunger 21 will be in a position in which it is adjacent the valve 22. The handle 23 can then be grasped and the plunger moved away from the valve to create a suction effect in the stoma cap so that the cap is held firmly in position over a patient's stoma. With this embodiment, it is possible to simplify the valving and tubing arrangement of the irrigation equipment as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. Thus, the vacuum tank 2, inlet tube 3, taps E and F, pipe 14 and tube 15 can be dispensed with since they are no longer required. The outlet pipe 11 is retained but no longer leads up to the vacuum tank 2. Instead, the outlet pipe 11 is simply led away from the stoma cap 1 and is arranged to terminate at a higher level than the cap to ensure no leakage of liquid from it. The operation of this embodiment of colostomy irrigation equipment according to the invention is otherwise the same as that of the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings. When irrigation is complete, the stoma can can be released by opening the valve 22 or by simply pulling the stoma cap gently away from the patient's body. Although the embodiments described above are of the permanent type, which are intended to be plumbed into the hot and cold water mains supply of a domestic bathroom or toilet, they can readily be adapted to become portable and connected to the hot and cold water taps of a bathroom sink with the waste trap leading down into a toilet basin. In the embodiment of the irrigation equipment shown in Figure 7, the stoma cap 1 is connected via an irrigation water pipe 16 to a reservoir tank 4 and by a discharge pipe 17 to a waste tray 7. Suction is applied to the stoma cap 1 via the suction tube 24 and flushing water is supplied to the stoma cap via tube 25. The stoma cap 1 is illustrated in more detail in Figures 8 to 10 and in addition to the irrigation equipment connections and the rubber padding rings 18 has a rotary valve which comprises a cylindrical housing 27 in which a valve cylinder 28 is rotatably mounted having two apertures 29 and 30 arranged at approximately 90° to each other. The aperture 29 is of a different diameter to aperture 30 so that when it is aligned with the irrigating pipe 16 it meters and prevents a sudden rush of flushing liquid into the stoma cap valve and the stoma. The valve cylinder can be rotated by a valve control member 31 between two stops 32 and 33 so that the aperture 30 aligns with the discharge pipe 17 and the waste products from the stoma can flow down the discharge pipe to the waste trap 7. The stoma cap 1 has a piston plunger 21 as described above with reference to Figures 4 and 5. The stoma cap 1 may also have a belt 34 to hold the stoma cap in place over the stoma until suction is applied by pulling the plunger 21 causing the cap to be held firmly to the patient's skin with the aid of the one-way valve 22. The flushing water supply tube 25 is illustrated entering the end wall of the stoma cap 1 on the rotary valve axis of the valve control member 31. The tube enters the rotary cylinder and is sealed in a watertight fitting by a rubber washer 36 and an O-ring seal 37 located in an annular recess 38 in a collar 39 of the rotary valve body. The cylinder valve is thus made watertight to permit irrigating water to enter or waste discharge to be drained from the cap depending on which way the handle 31 is turned and indicating by the arrow 35 which way the valve is operating. To operate the colostomy irrigation equipment, the reservoir tank 4 is filled to the required level with water at 40°C, the rotary valve must be in the closed position as shown in Figure 9, so as not to allow water from the tank 4 to enter the stoma cap until required. When the rotary valve cylinder 28 is rotated to the position shown in Figure 10, irrigating water can be released from the tank 4 and flow into the stoma cap 1 through the aperture 29 in the cylinder 28 and from thence into the patient's stoma. When the reservoir tank 4 is empty the rotary valve cylinder 28 is turned anti-clockwise through 90° from the position shown in Figure 10 to its former position in which the aperture 30 is aligned with the discharge pipe 17 allowing discharge from the stoma to travel down the discharge pipe to the waste trap 7. The flushing water can be turned "on" to flow into the stoma cap at 25 and exit down the discharge pipe 17, to facilitate drainage. The flushing water can be turned "off" on completion of the irrigation cycle. When the irrigation is complete the stoma cap is released by pulling it gently off the patient's body. Various modifications may be made to the invention, for example, the irrigation water pipe and the discharge pipe may each be provided with on/off valves to replace the rotary valve. In addition the irrigation water pipe may include means for regulating the flow of water from the reservoir tank to the stoma cap. Further, the flushing water supply tube 25 need not be located on the axis of the rotary valve but may enter the housing 27 at any convenient point although a location in the end wall of said housing is preferred. It will be appreciated that the colostomy irrigation equipment of the present invention is convenient to prepare and use and more importantly requires no disposal or handling of bags or other containers for the waste products. Once the stoma cap has been fitted, irrigation can be carried out without the need for removal of the cap from the stoma until after the procedure has been completed. Further, if the waste outlet pipe is plumbed into a toilet waste pipe, there is total elimination of mess and smell when performing irrigation.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Colostomy irrigation equipment comprising a stoma cap, means for creating a vacuum or partial vacuum in the stoma cap when said cap is applied to a stoma of a patient to seal it to the body of the patient surrounding the stoma, a controlled water supply and a waste outlet. 2. Colostomy irrigation equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the controlled water supply is adapted to be plumbed into the mains hot and cold water supply and wherein temperature registering means are provided to indicate the desired temperature for irrigating. 3. Colostomy irrigation equipment according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the means for creating a vacuum or partial vacuum in the stoma cap comprises a vacuum tank connected to the stoma cap and valve means which, when opened, allows the vacuum in the tank to operate to create a vacuum or partial vacuum at the stoma cap to seal it to the patient's body surrounding the stoma. 4. Colostomy irrigation equipment according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the means for creating a vacuum or partial vacuum in the stoma cap comprises a plunger mounted in a casing which is connected to or mounted on the stoma cap. - - 5. Colostomy irrigation equipment according to any preceding claim, wherein an inlet pipe for the controlled water supply and a discharge pipe for the waste outlet are each connected to the stoma cap and wherein the inlet pipe and discharge pipe are each provided with a respective control valve. 6. Colostomy irrigation equipment according to claim 4, wherein the stoma cap includes a rotary valve to control the supply of irrigation water to the stoma and wherein a discharge pipe is connected to the stoma cap. 7. Colostomy irrigation equipment according to claim 6, wherein the rotary valve has two apertures arranged at 90° to one another to align with an inlet for the irrigation water and the discharge pipe respectively. 8. Colostomy irrigation equipment according to claim 7, wherein the rotary valve has a control member provided with indicating means to show the operating position of the valve. 9. Colostomy irrigation equipment according to any preceding claim, wherein the stoma cap includes a spray device to cleanse the stoma and to provide drainage water for the waste. 10. Colostomy irrigation equipment according to claim 9, wherein the spray device is connected to a supply of flushing water. 11. Colostomy irrigation equipment according to any one of claims 6 to 8 and claim 10, wherein an inlet connection for the supply of flushing water to the stoma is located at the axis of the rotary valve. 12. Colostomy irrigation equipment according to any preceding claim, wherein said equipment further includes a belt to enable the stoma cap to be strapped in position over a patient's stoma to permit positioning of the stoma cap before the vacuum or partial vacuum is applied and to maintain the stoma cap in position in the event of a loss of suction effect on the stoma cap as a result of equipment malfunction. 13. Colostomy irrigation equipment according to any preceding claim, wherein temperature control means are provided for maintaining the temperature of the controlled water supply at about 40°C. 14. Colostomy irrigation equipment according to any preceding claim, wherein the stoma cap is provided with a rubber padding ring to provide an efficient seal over a stoma when the equipment is in use.

Inventors: BENTLEY FRANCIS JOSEPH, BENTLEY JAMES ANDREW, BENTLEY, FRANCIS, JOSEPH (DECEASED), BENTLEY, JAMES, ANDREW
Applicants: BENTLEY ASTRID FRANCES LEGAL H, BENTLEY JAMES ANDREW, BENTLEY, ASTRID, FRANCES (LEGAL HEIR AND REPRESENT, BENTLEY, JAMES, ANDREW
Application year: 1988
Main classification: A61M7
IPC codes: A61F5, A61M3