GB2157567A

GB2157567A - Body-attachable member for an ostomy appliance, and manufacture thereof

Info

Publication number: GB2157567A
Application number: GB08410231A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Leslie Steer
Original assignee: Craig Medical Products Ltd
Current assignee: Craig Medical Products Ltd
Priority date: 1984-04-19
Filing date: 1984-04-19
Publication date: 1985-10-30
Also published as: GB8410231D0; GB2157567B

Abstract

A body-attachable member for an ostomy appliance comprises a pad of medicated skin-compatible adhesive fixed to a plastics material formed into a disc with an upstanding rim. There is a closed loop line of weakening in the material within the rim so that the area defined by this line of weakening can readily be removed by a user without the use of a tool. A method and apparatus for making such a member are also disclosed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Body-attachable member for an ostomy appliance, and manufacture thereof This invention relates to body-attachable member for an ostomy appliance, and to the manufacture thereof.

Our U.K. Patent Applications Nos. 83 33711 and 8405415 describe a body-attachable member including a pad of medical skin-compatible adhesive to which is secured an apertured disc or flange with an upstanding rim. The rim serves to locate one or more double-sided adhesive annuli by which an ostomy bag can be fixed to the pad, with the stoma of the wearer extending through the aperture and into the bag in a conventional manner. The present invention aims to provide an improved member of this kind.

According to the present invention, a bodyattachable member for an ostomy appliance comprises a pad of medicated skin compatible adhesive fixed to a plastics material formed into a disc with an upstanding rim, there being a closed loop line of weakening in the material within the rim so that the area defined by the line of weakening can readily be removed by a user without the use of a tool.

In a preferred version of the invention, the plastics material is a film or sheet material which can be vacuum formed, and the disc with rim parts are formed in this manner in a sheet of plastics which is attached to a sheet of the skin-compatible adhesive.

The composite sheet so formed can then be stamped or cut up into a plurality of body attachable members. This is a considerable advance on the previously used method of manufacturing such body-attachable members. Moreover, in the use of a body attachable member as described herein, the user cuts or punctures a hole for his stoma in the pad of skin compatible material and removes the central area of the plastics material; then when the member is applied to the body an inner marginal edge portion of the pad takes up a position closely surrounding the stoma, and forms both a protective pad and a seal.

Consequently the stoma is both protected from a possibly painful contact with an inner edge of the disc with rim part, and undesired migration of the discharged waste materials towards the wearer's skin is substantially prevented.

The invention will be better understood from the following illustrative and non-limiting description of a specific example given with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:~ Figure 1 is a cross-sectional diagrammatic view, somewhat enlarged from full size, of an example of a body attachable member according to the invention; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the member in position on a wearer and illustrating the cushioning and sealing effect of a marginal portion of the pad; Figure 3 diagrammatically illustrates in side elevation an advantageous method of manufacture of a body attachable member as shown in Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a diagrammatic plan view corresponding to Figure 3.

The body attachable member 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a pad 12 of medicated skin compatible adhesive fixed to a disc 14 of plastics material. The disc 14 has an upstanding rim 16, and a closed loop line of weakening, which may be circular, indicated at 18 to define an area within the rim 16 which can readily be removed by a user without the use of a tool.

A stripable protective layer 20 is applied to the rear surface of the pad 12. This layer 20 is stripped offto expose an adhesive surface ofthe pad 12 when the member 10 is to be applied to the patient's body.

Figure 2 illustrates the member in position, the skin of the patient being indicated at 22 and the stoma of the patient at 24. As will be seen, the inner marginal edge portion 26 of the pad 12 has been deformed somewhat so that it closely surrounds and is in contact with the periphery of the patient's stoma 24; this provides a cushioning effect preventing the relatively sharp inner rim 28 of the disc 14 from painfully digging into the patient's stoma, and moreover the good adhesive contact between the pad 12 and the stoma 24 provides a sealing effect preventing any migration of liquid waste products towards the peri-stomal skin area 22. The annular surface 30 of the disc 14 serves for attachment of an ostomy bag in the manner described in our aforesaid U.K. Patent Application Number 8333711 or 84 05415.

In a preferred form of the invention, the rim 16 is produced by vacuum forming.

By the use of the manufacturing procedure disclosed herein, referring to Figure 3, a large number of body attachable members can be readily produced without the need for individual moulding of plastics disc with rim parts.

As seen in Figure 3, a plastics film which is capable of being vacuum formed, indicated at 14, is fed to a vacuum forming roller 40 which produces up-raised rims 16 in the sheet 14. A reciprocating circular cutter 42 with a blade 44 produces the closed loop line of weakening 18 in the film 14, and the film 14 is then amalgamated with a sheet of skin compatible adhesive material 12, already having fixed thereto a stripable cover sheet 20, which is fed in over a roller 46. The composite sheet so produced, the film 14 having been secured in any convenient manner such as adhesively to the pad 12, then passes to a vertically reciprocating cutter blade 48, which severs lateral strips from the sheet.

As illustrated, one such lateral strip 50 can then be severed again to produce four body attachable members.

The medical skin compatible adhesive material which is preferred for use in the present invention is that currently sold by E. R. Squibb & Sons Limited under the Registered Trade Mark "Stomahesive". It may more generally be referred to as a plastic adhesive material comprising a blend of a watersoluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid and a water-insoluble, viscous elastic binder. Such a material may be cast or formed in a mould if desired and may carry a plastics film backing layer.

Claims

1. A body attachable member for an ostomy appliance comprising a.pad of medicated skin compatible adhesive fixed to a plastics material formed into a disc with an upstanding rim, there being a closed loop line of weakening in the plastics material within the rim so that the area defined by the line of weakening can readily be removed by a user without tie use of a tool.

2. A member according to Claim 1 in which the rim has been formed by vacuum forming.

3. A method of manufacturing a body attachable member according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 including feeding a plastics film to a vacuum forming stage, then to a stage which provides therein a closed loop line of weakening, amalgamating the film so produced with a strip of skin compatible adhesive material, and passing the composite strip so formed to a cutter whereby a lateral strip consisting of one or more body attachable members is severed.

4. A body attachable member for an ostomy appliance substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

5. A method of manufacturing a body attachable member substantially as herein described.

6. Apparatus for producing body attachable members for use in ostomy appliances, comprising in combination a vacuum forming stage, a stage for producing a line of weakening within the rim, a stage for amalgamating the plastics film with a sheet of skin compatible adhesive, and a cutter stage for severing lateral strips therefrom.