Abstract:
An improved ostomy bag comprises an outwardly facing irrigation line attachment adapter. A removable vent housing may be attached to the attachment adapter, where the vent housing is attached during normal operation of the ostomy bag, where the vent housing may comprise a charcoal filter and a scent absorbing medium for reducing odors which may vent from the ostomy bag. The vent housing is attached with quick-connect connectors, and is easily removed so that a conduit may be attached to the attachment adapter, where the conduit is attached to a source of flushing liquid, such as a squeezable reservoir or faucet.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     U.S. application Ser. No. 12/387,360 for this invention was filed on May 1, 2009, for which application these inventors claim domestic priority, and which is incorporated in its entirety for this Continuation-in-Part Application. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The disclosed device generally relates to devices used for ostomy appliances, and specifically to ostomy appliances having an integral cleaning system, such as colostomy appliances, ileostomy appliances, and urostomy appliances. 
     In many cases a consequence of surgery for diseases in the gastrointestinal tract is that the colon has been surgically exposed, and the patient is left with an abdominal stoma. The effluents or waste products of the body conveyed through the gastrointestinal tract are discharged through this artificial orifice or opening, and are collected in a collection bag, which is usually adhered to the skin by means of an adhesive wafer or plate having an inlet opening for accommodating the stoma. 
     Ostomy appliances are well known. Such appliances may be two-piece or one-piece appliances. In both types of appliances, an adhesive barrier member, or base plate, is attached to the wearer. In the case of a one-piece appliance, a receiving member or bag is attached to the base plate. In the case of a two-piece appliance, the adhesive barrier member forms part of a body side member and a receiving member or bag is releasably attached to the body side ostomy member for receiving wastes from the stoma. When using one-piece appliances, the whole appliance, including the adhesive skin barrier securing the appliance to the skin is normally removed and replaced by a fresh appliance. When using two-piece appliances, the body side ostomy member is left in place up to several days, and only the receiving member or bag attached to the body side member is replaced. The attachment means for attaching an ostomy receiving bag may be matching coupling rings or matching flanges and adhesive surfaces engaging with and sealing against a flange area of the body side member. 
     The presently disclosed ostomy bag overcomes several shortcomings of the prior ostomy bags. The disclosed ostomy bag protects the stoma area from significant contact with excreted wastes and any digestive fluids contained within the wastes, and limits the duration of time the wastes are in contact with the stoma. Exposure of the stoma to fluids, and especially to the corrosive attack from stomach acid, causes pain to the wearer. Cleaning of the known bags can be problematic because a complete flushing of the bag may be difficult to achieve without removal of the bag from the body side member, and the increased risk of spillage caused by removal. Odor is a problem with most of the known bags because of the inability to completely cleanse the bag in place as well as the inability to effectively vent and filter accumulated flatus. Connection of irrigation devices to the known bags can be difficult, and unpleasant odors can be released while the irrigation line is connected to the device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Embodiments of the disclosed ostomy bag may comprise either a single chamber or multiple chambers, such as an outer chamber and an inner chamber. In the multiple chamber embodiment, the outer chamber may comprise an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper portion is defined as the section adjacent to the inner chamber and the lower portion is defined as the section extending below the bottom edge of the inner chamber. The upper portion further comprises an entrance from the stoma to the ostomy bag, and the lower portion is where the excreted bodily wastes are stored for eventual disposal. The fit between the outside surface of the inner chamber and the inside surface of the outer chamber is preferably sized for tight clearance to prevent waste from the lower portion from invading the space between the upper portion and the inner chamber. An interference fit is further provided by the “bellowing” out of the bottom of the inner chamber caused by the biasing member described below. 
     The inner chamber may comprise a one-way valve that allows entry of wastes into the lower portion of the outer chamber but limits the back flow of the bodily wastes from re-entering the inner chamber. The one-way valve may comprise a biasing member attached to opposing sides of the bottom of one of the walls of the inner chamber. The biasing member may have a length L1 that is greater than the inner chamber bottom wall length L2. The bottom of the inner chamber is urged shut by the force exerted by the biasing member on the bottom of the inner chamber wall. 
     The disclosed ostomy bag also provides an improved means for cleaning the bag, thereby increasing comfort and convenience to the wearer, and reducing the likelihood that unpleasant odors will be vented during the cleaning operation. The bag may comprise an irrigation system that links to an external fluid source and provides for the flushing of both the inner chamber and the outer chamber simultaneously. The irrigation system may comprise an irrigation connector adapter affixed to the outer chamber and an attachment adapter attached to the inner chamber. The attachment adapter may be attached to the irrigation connector adapter, and the irrigation tube. 
     The irrigation tube, which is closed ended, may be routed through a first slit and a second slit that extend through the inner chamber. The irrigation tube may comprise slits along the portion of the irrigation tube disposed within the inner chamber and through a large part of the outer chamber. The flushing or rinsing liquid may be introduced into the irrigation tube from a water supply means such as a squeezable reservoir. 
     The ostomy bag may comprise a vent contained within a vent housing placed at the upper portion of the outer chamber, and the vent may be used to vent flatus and associated odors that collect within the bag during normal digestion. The vent provides for a slow release of flatus that would otherwise collect in the ostomy bag and cause uncomfortable pressure to the wearer, or exude from the bag when emitted. The vent housing may further comprise a charcoal filter to strip the noxious smells from the vented flatus. In addition, the vent housing may comprise scent storage means, such as a tissue sponge, etc., to which scents may be added. The vent housing may have a quick-connect/release connector allowing the vent to be easily attached and remove to the irrigation connector adapter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows an exploded view of an embodiment of the presently disclosed filter-connector system as attached to an ostomy bag. 
         FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of an embodiment of an ostomy bag with a cleaning system and an embodiment of the presently disclosed filter-connector system. 
         FIG. 3  shows a top view of another embodiment of the filter-connector system. 
         FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the filter system of  FIG. 3 , taken essentially along the lines  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 , showing the quick connect structure of the vent housing. 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of an attachment adapter. 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a quick connect coupling which may be utilized to attach either the filter housing or an irrigation conduit to the attachment adapter shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the liquid flushing container of the ostomy bag 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the Figures,  FIGS. 1 through 6  depict various views of an embodiment of an ostomy bag utilizing different embodiments of the disclosed connector  34  and vent housing  48 . While a variety of different ostomy bags may be equipped with the disclosed connector  34  and vent housing  48 , the inventors herein have invented an ostomy bag  10  which may be utilized in combination with the disclosed connector  34  and vent housing  48 , which are an improvement to the known ostomy bags. The disclosed connector  48 , vent housing  48 , and irrigation storage and connection conduit comprise an ostomy bag odor control and irrigation system 
     An embodiment of an ostomy bag  10  which may be utilized with the connector  34  and vent housing  48  and ostomy bag odor control and irrigation system is shown in  FIG. 1 . For this embodiment, the ostomy bag comprises a front member  2  and a rear member  4 , which are fused together along the edges, except for the bottom edges  6 , which define a waste disposal opening when the front member  2  is fused with the rear member  4 . The ostomy bag  10  may further comprise an outer chamber  12  and an inner chamber  18 , wherein the inner chamber  18  is disposed within the outer chamber  12 . The outer chamber further comprises an upper portion  14  defined as the section adjacent to the inner chamber  18 , and a lower portion  16  defined as the section extending below the bottom edge of the inner chamber  18 . The upper portion  14  comprises a reinforcement member  15  comprising an opening  17  through which waste from the stoma to enter the ostomy bag  10  through opening  19  in the rear member  4 . The lower portion  16  is where the excreted bodily wastes are stored for eventual disposal through a discharge opening, which is defined at bottom edges  6 . Bottom edges  6  may be closed by rolling or folding the edges together and temporarily fastening with a clip (not shown). The flow of waste into the ostomy bag  10  is generally depicted in  FIG. 1  by the directional arrow. 
     For the embodiment of the colostomy bag  10  depicted in the Figures, the inner chamber  18  may comprise a one-way valve  20  that allows entry of wastes into the lower portion  16  of the outer chamber  12  but limits the back flow of the bodily wastes from the lower portion  16  of the ostomy bag  10  back into the inner chamber  18 . The one-way valve  20  allows free passage of wastes into the lower portion  16  for storage. The one-way valve  20  may comprise a biasing means, such as biasing member  22  attached to opposite sides of one of the walls of the inner chamber  18 . The biasing member  22  may have a length that is longer then the length of the bottom  24  of the inner chamber  18  walls. As the biasing member&#39;s  22  length L1 is greater than the inner chamber bottom side  24  length L2, the bottom  24  of the inner chamber  18  is urged shut by the force exerted by the biasing member  22  on the bottom  24  of the inner chamber  18 . This urging action enhances the one-way valve  20  such that bodily wastes are readily admitted through the valve  20  from the inner chamber  18  to the lower portion  16  for storage, but the reverse is not true. Waste does not flow from the lower portion  16  back into the inner chamber  18 . In addition, waste does not readily flow from the lower portion  16  to the upper portion  14 , as the biasing member  22  creates an additional barrier against upwards flow from the storage area to the inlet area. 
     The ostomy bag  10  may comprise an internal irrigation system  30  that links to an external water or liquid source and provides for the flushing of the internal components of the ostomy bag, such as the outer chamber upper portion  14 , the lower portion  16 , and the inner chamber  18 . The irrigation system  30  may comprise an irrigation connector adapter  34  which may penetrate front member  2  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Alternatively, an attachment adapter  36  may be attached to the inside wall of front member  2  as shown in  FIG. 2 . Attachment adapter  36  may connect directly to a matching connector on vent housing  48  or to a external connector  60 ,  60 ′ as indicated in  FIGS. 5-7 . Alternatively, attachment adapter  36  may attach to the irrigation connector adapter  34  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     As further shown in  FIG. 2 , the attachment adapter  36  may have a second side which may be attached to an irrigation tube  38  at a back side of the attachment adapter  36 . Alternatively the irrigation tube  38  may connect to the irrigation connector adapter  34 , and pass through the front member  2  as depicted in  FIG. 1 . The irrigation tube  38  may be closed-ended, and may be routed through a first slit  40  and a second slit  42  that extend throughout the inner chamber  18  and the outer chamber  12 . The irrigation tube  38  may comprise slits  44  along the portion of the irrigation tube  38  that resides within the inner chamber  18  and the lower portion  16  of the outer chamber  12 . The slits  44  along the irrigation tube  38  cause the water introduced into the ostomy bag  10  during flushing to disperse from the irrigation tube  38  at a higher pressure. 
     The water may be introduced into the irrigation tube  38  from a squeezable reservoir  46  of the type shown in  FIG. 7 , or an alternate embodiment may be used to provide liquids for flushing the ostomy bag  10 , such as an adapter which allows connecting a water fixture to irrigation tube  38 . Tubing  62  from the irrigation source, such as squeezable reservoir  46  or a faucet, is connected to irrigation connector adapter  34  or to attachment adapter  36  with external connector  60 ,  60 ′, after vent housing  48  is disconnected from the ostomy bag  10  by releasing the quick release connector. Use of the squeezable reservoir  46  allows the addition of disinfectants or deodorizers to the flushing water to assist in the cleansing of the ostomy bag  10 . 
     Vent housing  48  is placed at the upper portion  14  of the outer chamber  12 , such that the vent housing  48  releases flatus that collects within the bag during normal digestion. The vent housing  48  may mate through the use of mating parts.  FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of vent housing  48  in which the filter housing  56  is in axial alignment with the irrigation connector adapter  34 .  FIGS. 2-3  show embodiments of the vent housing  48 ′ in which the filter housing  56 ′ is at a right angle with irrigation connector adapter  34 . 
     The vent housing  48  is attached and removed from the ostomy bag  10  through the use of a quick disconnect type of attachment, which may attach or releases with a rotation of approximately 180 degrees, where the vent housing is replaced with a connector of an exterior irrigation or cleaning line which is attached to a water supply, such as a squeeze bottle or faucet. The vent housing  48  may further comprise a charcoal filter to strip the noxious smells from the vented flatus. The vent housing  48  may also comprise a liner  50  of either a scent absorbing media, such as a sponge, or liner  50  may comprise a charcoal filter  50 . Liner  50  may also be segmented such that a first portion  52  comprises the scent absorbing media while a second portion  54  comprises the charcoal filter. Scents may be added to the scent absorbing media of liner  50 . 
       FIG. 7  shows an embodiment of a squeezable container that may contain fluids utilized for cleaning, sanitizing and deodorizing an ostomy bag by connecting the container via a connection hose  62  to connector  34  or attachment adapter  36 , after vent housing  48  has been removed from the connector  34 . 
     While the above is a description of various embodiments of the present invention, further modifications may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus the scope of the invention should not be limited by the specific structures disclosed. Instead the true scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims.