Abstract:
An improved bag for use by a subject following a surgical procedure during which a stoma is formed, the improved bag comprising a partially sealed waterproof pouch having a wall proximal to the body in use and a wall distal from the body in use, the pouch having a lower edge and an upper edge and the proximal wall having an aperture spaced from the upper edge of the pouch to be in registry with a stoma in use, the pouch further comprising a releasable attachment means disposed separate from the aperture for releasably fastening the pouch onto the body of the subject wherein the releasable attachment means is attached to the distal wall of the pouch.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is an U.S. national phase application under 35 U.S.C. §371 based upon co-pending International Application No. PCT/GB2005/000707 filed on Feb. 25, 2005. Additionally, this U.S. national phase application claims the benefit of priority of co-pending International Application No. PCT/GB2005/000707 filed on Feb. 25, 2005. The entire disclosures of the prior applications are incorporated herein by reference. The international application was published on Aug. 31, 2006 under Publication No. WO 2006/090093 A1. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to an improved bag for use by a subject following a colostomy, ileostomy or similar surgical procedure. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    Digestive problems and in particular bowel problems result in large numbers of people receiving surgery each year where the outcome of the surgery requires the patient to wear a colostomy bag. The term colostomy bag is used throughout the remainder of the specification but it will be understood to mean any bag suitable for use by a subject following any one of a number of surgical procedures including a colostomy and an ileostomy. 
         [0006]    At present, most conventional colostomy bags comprise a flexible waterproof sheet material formed as a pair of walls disposed face to face and permanently secured together along their peripheries to define the bag. One of the bag&#39;s walls has an aperture adjacent to but spaced apart from the upper edge of the bag and the aperture is adapted to receive a stoma. Localized attachment means in the form of an adhesive annular stiffening ring is provided around the aperture for attaching the bag to the body wall of the patient. 
         [0007]    In the days following a surgical procedure such as a bowel operation, the patient receives bowel irrigation a number of times a day which necessitates frequent bag changes leaving the skin around the stoma irritated, inflamed and very painful. The skin gradually heals when the irrigation treatment is completed and the bag then only needs regular replacement. However, there are still many problems associated with conventional colostomy bags due to the weight of the bag when filling which puts stress on the skin area surrounding the stoma. This results in frequent leakage and generates a high infection risk due to the damaged skin coming into contact with the leaked material. A number of adhesives have been developed in order to obviate or mitigate these problems such as the Eakin™ cohesive and these cohesive materials provide some relief without directly addressing the core problems associated with conventional colostomy bags. 
         [0008]    Additionally, when the conventional colostomy bag part fills, the upper portion of the bag is pulled out and down from the body wall of the patient putting further pressure on the skin surrounding the stoma where the bag is attached. As the bag continues to fill, further distortion of the bag causes the wall of the bag distal from the patient&#39;s body wall to be pulled down around the aperture of the bag and to block the passage of waste thereby preventing further waste from dropping down into the bag and further exacerbating the problem. In this configuration, the top of the bag projects out from the abdomen and is liable to catch on objects close to the body of the patient. Finally, in this configuration, the contents of the bag are visible through the transparent material which is an undesirable situation for couples wishing to become intimate, for example. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the problems of leakage, drooping, waste blockage and waste visibility associated with conventional colostomy bags. 
         [0010]    Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved bag for use by a subject following a surgical procedure during which a stoma is formed, the improved bag comprising a partially sealed waterproof pouch having a wall proximal to the body in use and a wall distal from the body in use, the pouch having a lower edge and an upper edge and the proximal wall having an aperture spaced from the edges of the pouch to be in registry with a stoma in use, wherein the pouch further comprises a releasable attachment means disposed separate from the aperture for releasably fastening the pouch onto the body of the subject wherein the releasable attachment means is attached to the distal wall of the pouch. 
         [0011]    Ideally, the releasable attachment means is disposed above the aperture in use for releasably fastening the pouch onto the body of the subject above the stoma. 
         [0012]    Preferably, the releasable attachment means is disposed adjacent at least a portion of the upper edge of the pouch. Advantageously, the provision of an attachment means adjacent at least a portion of the upper edge of the pouch, above and separate from the aperture in use has a number of technical advantages. The weight of the bag and its contents is now concentrated on the abdomen region where muscle and skin are much stronger than the muscle and tissue around the stoma. As almost none of the weight of the bag is supported around the stoma region, this results in less irritation of the skin in this area due in part to the reduction of friction. Another valuable technical advantage with the location of the attachment means adjacent the upper edge is that the wall of the pouch distal from the body of a person in use is held taut between the lower edge and the upper edge of the pouch. This prevents the previously inherent bunching up of the walls of the pouch around the aperture which is in registry with the waste delivering stoma in use. This is a major technical advance over conventional colostomy bags. 
         [0013]    Furthermore, as the weight of the bag and its contents is no longer concentrated around the area of the stoma there is a much reduced occurrence of leaks which reduces the incidence of infection or irritation of skin surrounding the stoma. Finally, the waste material is no longer visible as the top edge of the pouch is attached to the abdomen of the patient. The improved bag has enhanced overall security and safety which increases the confidence levels of the person wearing the device. 
         [0014]    Advantageously, a person wearing this bag with an improved aesthetic appearance has greater confidence, security, safety and comfort. In use, the bag is now flatter and more streamlined reducing friction with clothing. Furthermore, when a person wearing the bag is engaged in exercise, there is no longer a need to wear a tight restrictive girdle associated with bags of the prior art, which girdle also had the negative effect of blocking the flow of discharge from the stoma. 
         [0015]    Ideally, the releasable attachment means is extending along the upper edge of the pouch and has a flap protruding above the upper edge of the pouch. 
         [0016]    Ideally, the flap has a surface proximal to the person&#39;s body in use and at least a portion of the proximal surface of the flap has adhesive disposed thereon for adhering the flap to the abdominal region of the person. 
         [0017]    Preferably, the entire proximal surface of the flap is covered with the adhesive. Ideally, the releasable attachment means extends over the entire surface of the distal wall of the pouch. Beneficially, the tensile force caused by the weight of the bag and the waste material in the bag is transmitted through the releasable attachment means expanding over the distal wall of the pouch which is held taut and as a result avoiding sagging/clumping of the distal wall around the stoma. As a result, the discharge from the stoma finds its way more freely into the bag. 
         [0018]    Advantageously, leaks can now be reduced and ideally controlled to be dry odor leaks. Previously, when a leak occurred, the only weight bearing adhesive was attached to the often delicate, raw skin around the stoma. As a result of the load on the leak cavity, the leak progressed rapidly around the adhesive flange, resulting in an unavoidable total failure of the bag attachment. A dry vertical odor leak can now be easily controlled by retiring discretely for a brief period and effecting a simple repair with a couple of strips of micro pore tape for example, which can be easily kept conveniently at hand. Panic, concern, worry and confusion can be avoided and a person&#39;s confidence and peace of mind is improved. The person wearing the bag is no longer a slave to the bag. 
         [0019]    Ideally, the adhesive on the flap is protected by a releasable cover prior to use by a patient. 
         [0020]    As with conventional colostomy bags, a stiffening annular ring is disposed around the aperture of the improved colostomy bag, the ring having a portion of adhesive and a portion of antiseptic material carried thereon. 
         [0021]    Ideally, a reduced volume of adhesive is carried on the annular ring of the improved bag compared to standard bags. This is due to the fact that a substantial volume of adhesive is disposed on the releasable attachment member. 
         [0022]    Preferably, the adhesive on the annular stiffening ring provides a waterproof seal between the ring and body preventing the bag and body from separating and generating leaks. The stiffening ring is not now required to carry the weight of the bag and its contents. 
         [0023]    Ideally, the colostomy bag has a resealable discharge opening at the lower edge of the pouch. This allows the bag to be emptied intermittently. Preferably, engagement means are disposed along at least one sidewall of the lower edge of the pouch defining the resealable discharge opening. Advantageously, these engagement means allow a subject to easily open the resealable discharge opening for washing the opening or emptying the pouch. The engagement means is a flap on one side wall of the edge or alternatively is a pair of flaps, one on each sidewall. 
         [0024]    Ideally, the upper half of the annular stiffening ring in use has a weakened adhesive force compared to the lower half of the annular stiffening ring. As most leaks/bag failures occur as a result of the bag being squeezed in a ballooned state, if the adhesive force acting between the upper half of the annular stiffening ring and a person&#39;s body is less than the adhesive force acting between the lower half of the annular stiffening ring and the person&#39;s body, then it is more likely the leak will occur on the upper half of the seal between ring and body. This area of the adhesive annular ring is referred to as nine o&#39;clock to three o&#39;clock. 
         [0025]    Preferably, there is a reduced volume of adhesive applied on the upper half of the annular stiffening ring. 
         [0026]    Alternatively, an adhesive with a reduced adhesive force is applied to the upper half of the annular stiffening ring. 
         [0027]    In another embodiment of annular stiffening ring, the surface area of the upper portion of the annular stiffening ring is reduced. 
         [0028]    Preferably, the colostomy bag is manufactured in a range of colors. 
         [0029]    Ideally, the colostomy bag has designs such as flags, emblems or logos disposed thereon. 
         [0030]    Preferably, the colostomy bag may have a covering of lace, frills, or ribbons. 
         [0031]    This could help people wearing bags of this type to at least partially overcome confidence issues when meeting partners and/or becoming intimate. 
         [0032]    Ideally, the pouch has a gas vent. The gas vent allows body gases to pass out of the pouch to prevent ballooning of the pouch which reduces the number of leaks being generated at the seal between the stoma and annular ring. Ideally, the gas vent is above the level of the stoma. Preferably, a filter is located in fluid communication with the gas vent to deodorize the vented gas. 
         [0033]    In a further aspect of the invention there is provided an improved bag for use by a subject following a surgical procedure during which a stoma is formed, the improved bag comprising a partially sealed waterproof pouch having a wall proximal to the body in use and a wall distal from the body in use, the pouch having a lower edge and an upper edge and lateral edges in use and the proximal wall having an aperture spaced from the edges of the pouch to be in registry with a stoma in use, wherein the pouch further comprises a releasable attachment means disposed separate from the aperture wherein the releasable attachment means extends along at least a portion of at least one of the upper edge and lateral edges of the pouch and has a flap protruding beyond the at least one edge of the pouch for releasably fastening the pouch onto the body of the subject. 
         [0034]    In a still further aspect of the invention, there is provided an improved bag for use by a subject following a surgical procedure during which a stoma is formed, the improved bag comprising a partially sealed waterproof pouch having a wall proximal to the body in use and a wall distal from the body in use, the pouch having a lower edge and an upper edge and the proximal wall having an aperture spaced from the edges of the pouch to be in registry with a stoma in use, wherein the pouch further comprises a releasable attachment means disposed separate from the aperture wherein the releasable attachment means is disposed on the pouch anywhere other than on the proximal wall for releasably fastening the pouch onto the body of the subject. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0035]    The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show by way of example only two embodiments of prior art colostomy bag and one embodiment of improved colostomy bag in accordance with the invention. In the drawings:— 
           [0036]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a first embodiment of prior art colostomy bag; 
           [0037]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of a second embodiment of prior art colostomy bag; and 
           [0038]      FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of a first embodiment of an improved colostomy bag. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0039]    In  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  of the drawings there is shown a colostomy bag indicated generally by the reference numeral  1 . The colostomy bag  1  has a waterproof partially sealed pouch  2  having a wall  11  proximal to the body in use and a wall (not shown) distal from the body in use. The pouch has a lower edge  3  and an upper edge  4  when mounted on a person&#39;s body in use. Proximal wall  11  of the bag  1  has an aperture  5  defined therein, the aperture  5  being spaced apart from the upper edge  4 . The aperture  5  is in register with a stoma (not shown) in use. An annular ring  14  is disposed on the proximal wall  11  around the aperture  5  and the ring  14  has a portion of adhesive and a portion of antiseptic material disposed thereon. There is a full ring of adhesive to provide the waterproof seal. 
         [0040]    Attachment members  7 ,  17  are disposed on the proximal walls  11  of the bags  1  of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  respectively and extend along the upper edge  4  of the respective pouches  2 . It will of course be appreciated that the shape of the attachment members  7 ,  17  is not limited to the two embodiments shown as it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many shapes and sizes of attachment member will provide the same function and the attachment member may include such arrangements as a plurality of strips or patches. 
         [0041]    The attachment members  7 ,  17  comprise a strip  21  of flexible material having one surface attached to the proximal wall  11  and one exposed surface  22  having an adhesive carried thereon. The upper edge  4  of the pouch  2  of  FIG. 1  is flat whereas the upper edge  4  of the pouch  2  of  FIG. 2  is arcuate and the shape of the upper edge of the strips of both attachment members  7 ,  17  correspond to the shape of the upper edges  4  of the respective pouches  2 . The strips  21  and the annular rings  14  can have releasable pull-off masking (not shown) located thereon prior to applying the bag  1  to the body in order to protect the adhesive. The bags  1  have a resealable discharge opening  25  located along their lower edge  3 . 
         [0042]    In use, a person peels the cover off the annular ring  14  and applies the annular ring  14  onto the skin around the stoma. The person then removes the cover from the strip  21  and adheres the exposed surface  22  of the strip to their abdomen region. The adhesive on the strip takes the weight of the bag and its contents which means the adhesive on the annular ring  14  has little or no load bearing requirement and is only required to seal the ring  14  to the skin around the stoma. However, a significant portion of the proximal wall  11  is covered with adhesive and the portion of the wall  11  carrying the adhesive is unable to move relative to the body when a person adjusts their bodily position. 
         [0043]    In  FIG. 3  of the drawings there is shown an improved colostomy bag indicated generally by the reference numeral  101  in accordance with the invention. The colostomy bag  101  has a waterproof partially sealed pouch  102  having a wall  111  proximal to the body in use and a wall (not shown) distal from the body in use. The pouch  102  has a lower edge  103  and an upper edge  104  and two lateral edges  106  when mounted on a person&#39;s body in use. Proximal wall  111  of the bag  101  has an aperture  105  defined therein, the aperture  105  being spaced apart from the edges  103 ,  104  and  106 . The aperture  105  is in register with a stoma (not shown) in use. An annular ring  114  is disposed on the proximal wall  111  around the aperture  105  and the ring  114  has a portion of adhesive and a portion of antiseptic material disposed thereon. There is a full ring of adhesive to provide the waterproof seal. 
         [0044]    A releasable attachment member  131  is attached to the wall of the bag  101  distal from a person&#39;s body in use. The releasable attachment member  131  may be adhered to a portion of the distal wall adjacent at least a portion of the upper edge  104 . Alternatively, the releasable attachment member  131  is adhered over the entire surface of the distal wall of the bag  101 . The releasable attachment member  131  has a flap  135  protruding beyond the upper edge  104  of the bag  101 . The surface  126  of the flap  135  proximal to a person&#39;s body in use carries an adhesive for adhering the flap  135  to the person&#39;s body above the stoma. The effect of this flap  135  is to allow the entire surface of the proximal wall  111  to be free from adhesive so that the proximal wall  111  has greater flexibility to move relative to the body of the subject as the subject sits down or gets up from the sitting position, ascends or descends stairs or enters or leaves a vehicle for example. 
         [0045]    The annular stiffening ring  114  is divided into an upper half  137  and a lower half  138 . The adhesive force acting between the upper half  137  of the ring  114  and the person&#39;s body is less than the adhesive force acting between the lower half  138  of the ring  114  and the person&#39;s body to encourage unavoidable leaks to occur between the upper half  137  of the ring  114  and the person&#39;s body. It will of course be appreciated that the weakened adhesive force may be applied to a more limited range of the annular stiffening ring  114  than the area from nine o&#39;clock around to three o&#39;clock. This feature of the invention would work equally as well with the weakened adhesive force acting between the surface area of the ring  114  defined from ten o&#39;clock around to two o&#39;clock. Broken line  139  is provided on the upper half  137  of the annular stiffening ring  114  to show a person the line to cut along to reduce the surface area of the upper half  137  of the ring  114  in order to reduce the adhesive force between the upper half  137  and the person&#39;s body particularly if the adhesive force of the adhesive on the upper and lower halves is the same. Resealable discharge opening  125  has a flap  151  located along one of the side walls  152  of the lower edge  103  defining the opening  125 . The flap  151  can be gripped by a subject between their index finger and thumb to increase the ease with which the resealable discharge opening  125  can be opened. It will be appreciated that any number of flaps  151  can be used anywhere proximal to the opening  125  to achieve the result of the subject more easily separating the side walls  152  which define the opening  125 . A gas vent  155  is located on the distal wall of the pouch  102  to allow body gas to pass out of the pouch  102 . A filter  156  encloses the gas vent  155  to deodorize the body gas before it enters the atmosphere. 
         [0046]    Variations and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.