Medical or surgical appliance, in particular a urine colllection device

Abstract: A method of attaching a medical or surgical appliance to a part of the body of the wearer of the appliance includes providing a pair of slots or holes 19 in the appliance, and providing a band 20 of fabric material of a first kind which has at least one tab 22 thereon. The tab is of a fabric material of a second kind. In use, the tab is threaded through at least one of said holes or slots, and is releasably secured to the band (which is usually located beneath the appliance) in face-to-face manner. Thus the appliance is held comfortably in place without bunching, and if desired can be detached by lifting the tabs without removing the band from the wearer's leg. The material of the first kind is a fabric preferably having loops on one of its surfaces and the material of the second kind is a fabric preferably having hooks on one of its surfaces. The invention may be applied to a urine collection device.

Description: Urine collection devices are known, as are other medical or surgical appliances which are worn on the body. One example is illustrated in our U.K. Patent Application No. 2,296,665. The present invention aims to provide an appliance, e.g. a urine collection device of high capacity, which is particularly comfortable to wear and yet easy to attach and remove. In PCT Application No. W096/06646 there is disclosed a coupling device for a leg urinal. A leg bag has straps, one end of each strap is provided with loop material and the other end with hook material. The straps can be wrapped around the leg and easily connected together at a comfortable tension as determined by the patient. This arrangement has no positive way of ensuring that the bag is prevented from shifting its position relative to of the strap. In U.K. Patent Application No. 2,215,211A there is shown a urine bag (1) made of two flexible sheets (10,11) welded together at their edges and along two vertical lines (16,17) to divide the bag into three vertical chambers (18 to 20). Two pairs of mounting apertures (21, 22, 23 and 24) receive respective straps (2 and 3) by which the bag is secured around the leg (4). The straps (2 and 3) pass behind the bag (1) between the bag and the leg where they have portions (32) of increased width that are stiffened by folding back at their ends (33 and 34). A part (35) of each strap (2 and 3) is elastic and they have press-to-close loop and hook fabric fasteners. The portions (32) of greater width limit the extent by which the edges of the bag can slide together along the strap as the bag fills with urine, thereby reducing bunching. However, if it is desired to remove this design of bag from the leg, it is necessary either to withdraw a considerable length of strap through the apertures (21 and 22, or 23 and 24), which is time consuming and awkward for elderly or infirm wearers, or to strip apart the strap ends. This stripping apart causes a situation wherein, briefly, the mounting of the bag on the leg is insecure. If the bag is full, this will cause apprehension to elderly or infirm persons. It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved arrangement. In a first aspect, the invention provides an assembly comprising a medical or surgical appliance and a band for attaching the appliance to a wearer's body, wherein: the appliance comprises a pair of holes or slots; characterised in that: the band has a pair of tabs connected thereto that are each threadable through a respective one of said pair of holes or slots, a distance between said pair of tabs being substantially equal to a distance between the pair of holes or slots; the band and the tabs are provided with cooperating mechanical hook-and-loop fasteners; and wherein the tabs are capable of being fastened face-to-face to the band for securing the appliance between the tabs and the band. In a closely related second aspect, the invention provides an assembly comprising a medical or surgical appliance and a band for attaching the appliance to a wearer's body, wherein: the appliance comprises a pair of holes or slots; characterised in that: the band has a pair of tabs connected thereto that are each threadable through a respective one of said pair of holes or slots, a distance between said pair of tabs being substantially equal to a distance between the pair of holes or slots; the band and the tabs are provided with cooperating first and second fabrics capable of mutual fastening engagement; and wherein the tabs are capable of being fastened face-to-face to the band for securing the appliance between the tabs and the band. In use, the band can extend around the relevant body part of the wearer and hold the appliance on to it, once the tab is closed onto the band. In a preferred embodiment, upper and lower bands may be provided. Desirably, the upper band is wider than the lower band. The invention will be better understood from the following non-limiting description of an example thereof given with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- Figures 1A and 1B is a perspective views of two examples of an appliance, e.g. a urine collection device, according to the invention; like parts have like numerals in these Figures; Figures 2 and 2A show an appliance according to a second embodiment of the invention; Figures 3 and 4 show form of band usable in the invention; and Figures 5 and 6 show a further embodiment of band usable in the invention. The urine collection device shown in Figure 1A comprises a plastics bag 12 having front and rear walls and having pleats 14 in order to.render it capable of carrying, if necessary, a substantial quantity of urine. The bag is made by superposing a pair of sheets which are then welded together by a plastics weld 17 which defines the liquid-containing volume of the bag. Areas 16 in the lower region of the bag are located outside the weld and contain slots 19 therethrough. The upper end of the bag is provided with a pubic pressure plate and fitting 18 so that the plate can be fitted to the wearer around his or her pubic area. For further information on how such a plate and fitting may be attached to the'body of a male wearer, the reader is referred to U.K. Patent No. 2 233 232B. However, other forms of pubic fitting may be employed. A leg band 20 encircles the leg of the wearer, this band being provided with a surface area having fabric hooks. A pair of tabs 22 are provided, each having one of its ends permanently attached to the band 20. The tabs 22 have one of their surfaces provided with fabric loops. The loops and hooks referred to may be of the kind which are found in the well known fastening arrangement known under the Trade Mark VELCRO. The loops may be on the tabs and the hooks on the leg band, or the loops may be on the leg band and the hooks on the tabs. In use, the tabs are pushed through the slots 19 and folded over as shown to engage with the confronting surface of the leg band. The spacing between the tabs is substantially equal to that between the holes or slots. Hence the bag 12 can be held smoothly spread out, and supported by the relevant limb of the wearer. It will be understood that in use the two tabs which may be "Velcro" are pushed through the slots in the leg bag and fastened back onto the face of the band. The face of the band is made up of a loop type material which receives the hooks on the "Velcro" tabs. Once the tabs are fastened down the bag is held secure and is unable to bunch toward its centre. The bands are fastened to the leg and held in place by a tab (e.g. 69), see Figure 3, as is commonplace in the art. Therefore, the bag is held in a safe, secure and comfortable manner while yet being readily released for removal if required. An arrangement of spaced slots in a bag together with equally spaced tabs on a band can be employed in various kinds of collection bag, e.g. a leg-bag arrangement of the kind shown in PCT Application No. WO96/06646. The urine collection device shown in Figure 1B is similar, except that it does not have pleats. Its upper end is in use fixed to a pubic plate and fitting and its lower end is secured to a leg of the wearer by a band 20 which is similar to that described in connection with Figure 1A. In Figure 1B, the tabs are not visible. Referring now to Figures 2 and 2A, these show a leg bag 30 forming part of the invention comprising a pair of plastics sheets welded together around the periphery by a weld seam 32. A tube connector 34 is welded into the top of the bag, through which urine enters. A drainage tap 36 welded to a lower portion of the bag allows urine to be emptied from the bag. The two plastics sheets are joined together by the weld seam 32 and the liquid-containing portion of the bag is defined by a second weld seam 38 which merges with the weld seam 32 at two opposed middle regions of the bag. It is seen that these two seams 32, 38 demarcate four zones 40, 42, 44, 46 of the bag from which liquid is excluded. Each such zone has a through slot 50. The slots 50 are substantially vertical when the appliance is in its normal upright position of use, as it would be if attached to the leg of a person standing upright. The plastics surrounding the slots is strengthened by a short weld as is more clearly illustrated at 33 in Figure 2A. This is to prevent the bag film being inadvertently torn. Each of the slots 50A to 50D is dimensioned to receive a corresponding tab. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate in cross-section and plan view respectively, one form of band usable in the present invention. The band 60 may be made of a nylon-rubber mixture and is manually extensible to a limited extent. A pair of tabs 62 are fixed to the band 60, e.g. by stitching as shown at 64, at locations along the band 60, the spacing between the stitched areas 64 being substantially equal to the spacing between a pair of slots 50A, 50B. As shown in the drawing, this spacing is substantially the same as the spacing between slots 50C and 50D but it would of course be different if the bag shape were such that it is wider (or narrower) at the bottom than at the top. The side 66 of the band has a loop-type fabric thereon and an end portion 68 of the band, stitched to the remainder of the band at 70, has hook-type fabric on its surface 69. This enables the ends to be joined as desired so that the bag 30 can be attached to a leg. The surfaces 62A have hook-type fabric theron. The construction of the band 80 shown in Figures 5 and 6 is generally similar to that shown in Figures 3 and 4 except that in the Figures 5 and 6 embodiment, instead of two tabs 62, a single strip of suitable material 82 is attached to the band 80; this has hook-type fabric 84 on the indicated portions 86 of the material. The side 80A of the band carries loop-type fabric. The material 82 is stitched to the band 80 at the region 88. A system comprising a band which carries a pair of tabs fixed thereto, the tabs in their fastened position overlying the band and having either hooks or loops to cooperate with loops or hooks on the band can of course be employed to secure various kinds of medical or surgical appliance to the body of a wearer. For example a catheter or a wound protector could be supported by such an arrangement. The spacing of the tabs would be substantially equal to the spacing of slots provided in the appliance, so as to achieve the benefit of holding the appliance on the body without bunching or crumpling.

Claims: An assembly comprising a medical or surgical appliance (12; 30) and a band (20; 60; 80) for attaching the appliance to a wearer's body, wherein: the appliance comprises a pair of holes or slots (19; 50A, B); characterised in that : the band has a pair of tabs (22; 62; 86) connected thereto that are each threadable through a respective one of said pair of holes or slots, a distance between said pair of tabs being substantially equal to a distance between the pair of holes or slots; the band and the tabs are provided with cooperating mechanical hook-and-loop fasteners (62A, 66; 80A, 84); and wherein the tabs are capable of being fastened face-to-face to the band for securing the appliance between the tabs and the band. An assembly comprising a medical or surgical appliance (12; 30) and a band (20; 60; 80) for attaching the appliance to a wearer's body, wherein: the appliance comprises a pair of holes or slots (19; 50A, B); characterised in that : the band has a pair of tabs (22; 62; 86) connected thereto that are each threadable through a respective one of said pair of holes or slots, a distance between said pair of tabs being substantially equal to a distance between the pair of holes or slots; the band and the tabs are provided with cooperating first and second fabrics (62A, 66; 80A, 84) capable of mutual fastening engagement; and wherein the tabs are capable of being fastened face-to-face to the band for securing the appliance between the tabs and the band. An assembly according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the appliance is provided with a second pair of holes or slots (50C, D) and a second band (20; 60; 80) is provided, the second band having a pair of tabs connected thereto that are each threadable through a respective one of said second pair of holes or slots, the tabs being spaced from one another by a distance that is substantially equal to a distance between the second pair of holes or slots, and wherein said second band and tabs are provided with co-operating mechanical hook-and-loop fasteners to enable face-to-face fastening of the tabs to the band to secure the appliance between the tabs and the band. An assembly according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the tabs (62; 86) have mechanical hook fasteners (62A; 84) provided thereon that are engageable with mechanical loop fasteners (66; 80A) provided on the band. An assembly according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the tabs have mechanical loop fasteners provided thereon that are engageable with mechanical hook fasteners provided on the band. An assembly according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein each tab (62) is formed by a free end portion of a respective one of a pair of strips of material affixed at one end to the band. An assembly according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein one tab (86) is formed by a first free end portion of a single strip of material affixed to the band, and the other tab (86) is formed by a second free end portion of said single strip of material. An assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein the appliance comprises a urine collection bag (12; 30). An assembly according to Claim 8, wherein the bag is provided with a fitting for securing the bag to a pubic attachment plate (18). An assembly according to Claim 8 or 9, wherein the bag is pleated to enlarge its capacity compared with an unpleated bag.

Inventors: FALCONER MALCOLM IAN, FALCONER, MALCOLM IAN
Applicants: SQUIBB BRISTOL MYERS CO, BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB COMPANY
Application year: 1997
Main classification: A61F5
IPC codes: A61F5